Monday, June 01, 2015

"Do you want a Coke?"

Here's a little entry I wrote in my son's journal...

May 27

It was a weird day because we went to the Unicef store to buy you the little blue car that you nearly shoplifted at Romain's birthday party. :?  We were 15 mins early so we waited in front. I noticed a homeless man across the street living in a kind of "Autolib" glass house. He waved but I looked away. Then I realized he may get your attention and I didn't want to say "don't wave to the homeless man" and get into a discussion on avoiding strangers, but he waved at you and you smiled and waved back before I could get you distracted again. I told you not to wave at strangers and to try not to look over at him again. "We don't wave to strangers" and "we don't know if they are nice people or not." (or something like that). Well within about 1 minute I catch him out of the corner of my eye moving, and then I watch him ambling quicker and quicker across the street directly to us, waiving and smiling. "Oh God, oh God" I just keep repeating. Thinking to myself "I hope this isn't going to go badly," as I clutch my large Louie (Louis Vuitton) bag close to my chest. He comes up smiling, extending his hand and says, tu veux un Coke? Over and over again. He tries to shake my hand but I am trying to avoid it and am just simply smiling and shaking my head saying Non. Non, merci... Then he reaches for your hand and (cause you're a nice boy) you extend your hand and shake his. So then he offers his hand to me and I'm not going to be rude so I shake it. I just keep saying Non to the Cokes and eventually he smiles and turns and leaves. (sigh). Now we have a longer discussion on how/why not to engage with strangers, and that you NEVER, EVER go with a stranger for a Coke, a candy, or a puppy. For n'importe quelle raison.