Saturday, May 15, 2010

I've just got back home after a walk in my local park with friend of mine, and I'm almost spitting feathers with annoyance and seriously despairing at the stupidity of some humans.

Being a lovely, sunny, spring Saturday, the park was full of people enjoying the weather and dogs and children were running around all over the place.
My friend and I were nearly at the park exit when I spotted a little girl aged about five or six standing alone and talking into a walkie-talkie thingy.
As I got closer I heard her saying 'Come back and get me, this is serious!' which if it hadn't been worrying, would have made me giggle to hear such adult words coming out of such a tiny person.
My friend and I looked around to see if we could see anyone else with a walkie-talkie, but there was no-one like that to be seen, and so I asked the little girl if she was alright.
She must have been told to never talk to strangers as she just stared at me without so much as a shake or nod of her head.
My friend then called out to a nearby woman with a pram and a toddler by her side to ask if the girl was hers, but she replied that no, she wasn't', and she'd thought the little'un was with us as she'd been walking in front of us.
My friend then asked the girl if she could see her mummy anywhere, but again we were met with just a silent stare.
We called out to a few more people to try and find who was supposed to be with her, but then suddenly the little girl ran away from us, out into the exit, round a corner and onto the nearby road.
I scampered after her and was just in time to see her run into the front garden of one of the houses there, and when my friend caught up with me we followed her to see if she was alright.
We found her standing on the path leading to the house, still clutching her walkie-talkie and looking very miserable indeed.
Again, I tried asking her if she was alright and did she live in the house, but yet again, no answer.
I looked at one of the windows as realized that there was someone in there, so I walked up to it and rapped on the window to get their attention.
Three men looked up at me with surprized expressions and I asked if they had a little girl. One of the chaps nodded, and came round to answer the door, and as soon as he did so the little girl ran up to him and hugged him as if she'd never let go again.
I asked who she was supposed to be with and they replied that her grandad had taken her out, and they presumed that because they both had walkie-talkies they'd be fine.
As the old saying goes, to assume makes an ass out of you and me, and I reckon grandad was in for a right bollocking when he got back.
Anyhoo, I'm just relieved that the little girl was alright, and although kudos must be given for not talking to strangers, I wish she hadn't been so scared, as most of the time people only want to help.
It makes me furious and also sad knowing that times have changed so much that everyone seems dangerous to such a young child.