I was at the supermarket the other day. Now Luke is stronger he can sit in the big kid seat, not the baby ones where they lie back, and which are always so grubby. I was unloading my groceries for the world's grumpiest check-out chick, with Emily's assistance. When I say 'assistance', it is in the most generous interpretation of the word, as chucking fruit and cartons of eggs from her little spot about a foot below the conveyor belt and hoping they land safely is not really helping, is it?!
Anyway, a lady came up behind me, and Luke was facing her, and being all cute and smiley, as he always is. She admired him and said how gorgeous he was and asked how old he was. As she should! Then she looked at me, and back at him, and turning redder and redder, she said something like "I never ask this, and maybe I'm wrong, and if I am I'm really sorry, but I don't mean to be rude, but do you mind me asking, is he Down's?" And so I smiled, thinking 'Here we go', and just said politely "Yes he does have Down Syndrome." Well, she got so excited, and told me that she has a 20 month old boy named Riley with DS too, and that there are no other babies in the area, the next oldest being 4, and she never saw another one. It was very sweet, and lovely to meet someone else down here, as I only know my new neighbour and Ben's teacher at school.
So we chatted away and swapped notes, and her boy goes to Christchurch to the Champion Centre each week too, but on a different day. She was raving about it, which just makes me even more certain that we have done the right thing moving here. And all the while the woman at the counter looked at us stoney-faced. I gave that mum my address and name, and I hope she can remember and comes for a coffee one day soon.
Then I might have two whole friends here!
A Buckeye Legacy
5 years ago
5 comments:
This is Joyce. I love hearing about these "chance encounters" although I believe they are a little more than chance. I hope you two do meet up again soon. It is always nice to have someone close by who you can talk with. Thnaks for sharing this story.
This sounds very positive. On all fronts. I hope that you meet up with her. It will be good for the boys as well.
As for the check-out "lady" (let's be nice, she might have been having a bad day) I would have loved to see her face! You paint a very nice picture there.
I have found it such a huge help meeting other mammies with babies the same age. It's a relief to talk to people who understand the ds lingo. It is such a huge help to go through it all together, and the encouragement and advice you receive is invaluable. I hope she calls!!!
But if you are ever in Ireland, Dublin in particular, make sure to call over for tea :-)
Yay..I love when that happens! And I love that it helped to confirm that your decision to move was the right one! :)
Paaarrp! (That was for Grumpy Greta the checkout queen.) Go the Luke network!
:)
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