The kindness of strangers
My umbrella blew away today, skipping merrily down the street and hoping, no doubt, to run into some other umbrella free and unencumbered. It was my own fault – on a Very Blustery Day I actually let go of my umbrella to help Small Boy into his gloves, and off it went dancing down the street. I was with Small Boy, on foot, and Boychen, in the stroller, and Dutch Friend (7 months pregnant) and her three-year-old. Dutch Friend made a valliant, if poorly thought-out, gallumping few strides to catch it and I called after her “Forget it! It’s gone!” A man tried to run after it, but my umbrella was skittering for all it was worth and I called out “Machts nuut! Isch schon weg!”* and turned back to getting Small Boy into his gloves. Dutch Friend slipped her son into his mittens and we continued on our way to the train station. They had a train to catch; the umbrella wasn’t worth it.
Then a man ran up to my side and handed me my umbrella. He must have chased it three-quarters of the way down the block and back.
Was he just a nice Swiss guy, or did he take an extra bit of pity on two moms – one of us pregnant, no less – out in the rain with 3 kids and no umbrella? Either way, thanks Swiss Guy. Das ist der Liebe!**
* It doesn’t matter! It’s already gone!
** That is just so kind.
Filed under In the moment, NaBloPoMo08 | Comment (1)One Response to “The kindness of strangers”
Leave a Reply
That’s such a nice image, of two stray umbrellas in search of each other…