STATE FAIR PARENTING EXAMPLE

I’m disabled with a neurological disease, so I can’t do a lot of walking at once; I have to stop frequently to rest. But I don’t just lounge around on benches all day, waiting for something to happen. Really, I don’t. However, when I just happened to be resting on a bench at the State Fair, a man and his son (a toddler) walked up and stopped directly in front of me. They were obviously having a “visitation” day, as the man clearly adored his son, but had no idea how to take care of him.

Dad unwrapped an enormous whistle on a white card. He hung it around the boy’s neck and the whistle dangled to the kid's knees.

“There now,” said Dad. “I want you to blow that whistle every five steps you take, okay? I won’t have to watch you every minute, but I’ll still know exactly where you are.” Grinning, Dad stood up and turned to go, and the boy blew the whistle. I thought I was having a seizure. Honestly, I lost vision in one eye. I think a couple of birds fell over, dead, right out of the tree beside me. Never in my entire life have I heard anything like that whistle.

Before I could recover from the assault, the little darling had taken five steps, and he blew the whistle AGAIN. I saw an elderly lady stagger, and two of the midway rides stalled. Before I could even mutter something sarcastic, the little guy had taken five MORE steps and yes, he blew the whistle AGAIN. I should have been bleeding from the ears. Slow the Hell down, I thought. They did not.

By then I was feeling around in my purse. I'd decided that if I just had a pair of cute little embroidery scissors, I could cut the cord and capture the whistle. But no such luck. As I was frantically searching, elbow-deep in my purse, the Dad continued his path to the Automobile Building, his son following in a five-paces-shrieking-whistle parade behind him. I was confidant Dad would have significant hearing loss by day’s end. Frankly, he deserved it.