Karma

Is there something about being a parent that says to the rest of the world that you need advice? Because when you have a kid, all of a sudden everyone who has ever had a child thinks their advice is golden. I see it all the time. And I always want to smack them upside the head.

Today, Hayes and I met a gentleman by a very surreal circumstance. I didn't even notice him walking next to us until he had run face-first into a metal pole. When I asked him if he was alright, he said that he was just admiring my son (and consequently walked into the pole). Odd, I know. And it gets even more bizarre.

After I had done all the consoling I could, the guy reached down, took Hayes's face in his hand and planted a big kiss on his cheek--which Hayes promptly wiped away with a frown. Feeling totally relieved by the way Hayes expressed himself, I said nothing more about it.

Later, we ended up standing in line waiting for the bus behind this guy. And when Hayes's dad walked away to take Hayes to the restroom, the guy turned around to share a few words of wisdom with me. He told me that I should take care to teach my son to love everyone. He said that I should tell Hayes to not frown and wipe away kisses because it was love that made him admire Hayes so much that he smashed his face into that pole. And that he would tell his daughter the same thing--that it is important for children to learn that the world is filled with love blah...blah...blah...

Initially, I wanted to interrupt the guy to tell him how his mother should have taught him to ask first before kissing someone. But I decided to wait for him to finish reprimanding me. I also wanted to ask him how he would feel if a strange guy walked up to him and unexpectedly planted a big kiss on his cheek. But I was still waiting for him to finish his speech. By the time the guy was done, I had decided that the big knot on his head was exactly what he deserved. What's funny is that he thought he had an accident with a metal pole. I thought he got a much needed dose of karma.