I spent most of today in the library, sitting at a little desk hidden deep in the stacks. I was sitting right next to a heating vent, and I could hear, from somewhere else in the library, a man trying to help his young daughter to write a report on South American butterflies. He was being impatient and rude with her, and I was very tempted to be the voice of God, leaning close to the heating vent and saying "Hey. Can you hear me? Be kind to her." But I didn't.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Oh, do you wish you had done it? I wish you had!
2:55 PM
Sarah said…
I kinda do. I'm not sure. Mostly it was an eye-opener to me. I'm sure all parents get frustrated with their kids sometimes, and speak to them differently when they don't think anyone else is listening. I feel like calling that dad out on it would have made him ashamed and maybe angry and defensive (though he wouldn't have known who I was, so he couldn't have defended himself to me). Maybe I should have done it anyway... but I think I'll just try to remember it for the future. I don't think that parents should always have to deal with their children as if they are performing on a public stage, but I at least hope to try to act in a way that I wouldn't be ashamed of, if I were observing myself.
3:03 PM
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