Stranger Danger

Let me set the scene.

It was a beautiful day. Blue sky, sun shining, some snow still on the ground but warm enough out to go without a jacket. We have a couple of things to do before having to be home as we are having some guys that were in from out of town over for dinner....

The grocery store is the first stop. Fortunately, it is during school hours so I don't have to run the gauntlet of Girl Scouts hawking their deliciously, evil little cookies. We make it inside and manage to pass through the area where all the 'deals' are without being hit by another shopper in the Achilles with their cart. (First time I have passed unscathed) Now we are at the bulk item section when Carsen sees the Jelly Belly's to which he starts begging for jelly beans. I tell him no. Now my biggest reason for this is just because I don't feel like backtracking at this point but when he asks "why?" I reply, --"because I said so" (now even I agree that this is a lame reason. In fact it is not even a reason at all) but this is what I say. Now the whining and crying begin....and last for the WHOLE time we are at the grocery. Then I have to go to a second grocery store because it is practically impossible to just go to one store in this town and get everything that you need. The crying continues through out Albertson's also. I am REALLY happy by this point in case you are wondering. But I think OK this is the last stop then we are home free. Well, that would have been the case if technology was not as advanced as it is, or if I had chosen to ignore the call on my cell phone from home. But I answer and it is the lovely husband who is fixing the toilet..you know the one that broke while he was soaking up the sun in FL... and he needs a part. Next stop Home Depot. Which a lot of women say they love HD. I am not one of them. Not even remotely. But here I go trouping into the depot with Carsen in tow who is still crying from 2 hours earlier and no jelly beans. I manage to weave my way around and find the plumbing department the whole time insisting that Carsen hold my hand because anytime I do let go he bolts. His pulling away has now forced me to just hold his wrist therefore he cannot get away. He does have plenty of wiggle room between my hand and his wrist but that does not stop him from yelling "OW, Ow you are a crazy stranger, you are not part of my family!" Of course, people look at the two of us and I don't know whether to laugh or clamp my hand over his mouth. Fortunately, when he repeated it he started the same sentence with "Mom, you are a crazy...blah, blah, blah.." I somehow manage to get the needed part between the screaming kid, 3 lost calls home due to different sizes of the item needed and people looking at me... some with pity,.... some with disgust, ....and even some with the look of compassion that said...i've been there.