The bloody toe

Today, after work, I met Patrick, Camille, Wendy, Roxie, Reagan, Lucy, and Addie and Lizzy (the Phillips kids) at their home.  We had pizza and then left for the Living Planet Aquarium.

The aquarium was fun, but while we were there, a boy (probably about the same age as Roxie) walked straight over to her and pushed her.  It was completely deliberate.  For some reason, it didn’t knock her down.  Her little mouth dropped open and she just stood, shocked that this had taken place.

The parents of this kid (who looked even rougher than the three year-old bully) took no action.  They just said something like “Don’t push, now” and went on their way.  Roxie still stood motionless.  She probably had a lot of the same questions that I did.  What just happened?  Who would raise a kid to do something like that and not say “sorry”?  Who wouldn’t spank their kid, then and now, for doing something like that?  I wanted to give that kid a little message, but even more, I wanted to just let the parents have it.

Instead, I picked up my little innocent Roxie and held her so that she’d know that I loved her.  I’m not sure if this is going to be a common thing in Roxie’s life or not.  She’s so tender and soft-spoken, that I can see people taking advantage of her.  If anyone does, I’ll just step in and even things out.

It really made me mad.