Close Encounter of the Unbelievable Kind

It was just a normal play date trip to the zoo intended to let a group of young children play and enjoy being together while the moms enjoyed each others company. The weather was chilly and kept many visitors away giving the feel that we were alone with the animals. So the children laughed and ran, giggled and jumped. They imitated penguins and were astonished at the size of the gorillas.

Like young children will do, races ensued, with all determined to be the leader. With almost no other patrons around we mothers let the children run ahead but never too far. If the active bodies tried to cross the bounds of their freedom a mother would call out "Stop!" and 6 children would slow down, still inching for that prized leader position, and come to a halt. It was delightful to see them skipping, hopping, jumping, and running after being so often cooped up on these cold winter days.

As we headed for the exit a group of our children ran ahead. 3 mothers went ahead to keep track of them, I was in the middle, with 2 other moms bringing up the stragglers. At one point I decided to go up a set of stairs to meet the children in case they failed to follow instructions and continue their race into the building. I started to trot up the stairs when a lady passed by. I smiled and said, "Hi!" She stopped, turned towards me and asked, "Are you having a nice day?" I responded that I was indeed.

Her next question caught me off guard. "Did you see those children over there?" "Why yes" I replied, "seems like they're enjoying the zoo." The words that spilled out of her mouth I won't ever forget. I was shocked, appalled, disappointed, hurt. She started on her verbal rampage telling me that those children were horrible, their behavior was asenine, that they had no parents, that they were awful, that those children had no future at all. I was shocked speechless. I was confused. Was she really talking about those beautiful babies that were full of life and laughter? Then the name calling began. Words that would be censored in all forms of media. The awful words tore at my heart and I began to be angry.

I told myself not to respond. I knew if I responded I would stoop to her level and begin shouting instead of being able to respond in a calm tone. I forced my lead feet to move up the stairs, move away from the darkness that was surrounding the one sided conversation. I watched her continue on, mumbling more about the horrors of our children. My children.

As I got to the top I was met by the children and the mothers. Immediately I said, "I am so angry...." and started my tale of what had just transpired. Immediately I was enveloped by rational beings again. Their presence helped me begin to let go of the unbelievableness of the situation.

Admittedly the incident seemed to cling to me and to bother me. I couldn't understand why this lady had said that. Because the children were running? Little kids run, especially outdoors. They were not running into anyone because we watched that and because there was no one to run into. Was it because they were loud? Little kids are loud. They aren't meant to be silent at the zoo. Her words seemed to haunt me. "They have no future". Why would anyone say that?

Later I sat down and flipped through the pictures I had taken of everyone at the zoo. I laughed at the boys dressed up in items that made them looked like Harry Potter doctors. I smiled at the picture of the girls pressed up against the gorilla cage talking to each other about gorillas. And it hit me as I looked at each of the pictures that I was seeing the future and it was great. Each of these children were being reared in homes where they were loved, where the parents taught them, interacted with them, taught them life lessons like sharing, forgiving, listening. In them I saw future adults who would be great citizens of their communities and who would be great parents as well. And while I'm sure these kids will grow up and have personal challenges like every mortal has, I knew that the lady had gotten it all wrong. They have a great future.