in the Aisle of the Craft Store

Alright, I will confess.  My little trip to deliver the old newspapers to the recycling bin was actually an excuse to drive onward a few streets to visit H L the craft store.  I had not been there in awhile, and I found a 25% off coupon at their website (although it had not been printed in the paper—marketing alert)

The item I’m looking for is holiday colors in 3-ply sport weight acrylic yarn.  There is a red twist which might work, but I have time to keep looking.

While standing and staring at shelf after shelf full of yarny goodness, I overheard a mother talking to her youngun in the seat of a cart.  The boy was maybe a little over a year old, and he kept slapping his mom’s arm, or tummy, and tugged on her shirt.  I remember that being a signal from my pre-word son that he was umm, thirsty.
This mother told him to “No Hit! Not Nice!” a bit too loudly, considering she was standing close enough for him to smack her arm again.
Then she backed up a little so he could not reach her, and said “If you hit mommy again, I will have to spank you.”

I walked around the end of the lane and almost bumped into a clerk who was busy counting stock.  She turned and looked at me with a wrinkle in her forehead.  “Did I just hear that?” she whispered.  “If you hit again, a spanking?”

I nodded, just as cart with child and young mother came into the aisle.

The clerk winked at me as if we shared a secret.

I’m still not quite accustomed to seeing people the same age as my sons as being parents.  The girl most likely did not realize about her choice of words and actions, and does not have the years of hindsight that I do.  The toddler looked fine enough, tho there did not seem to be any other interaction between mother and son.

Neither the clerk nor I said anything, but I smiled at the child.  I smile at every child I see, but the “stranger! danger!” lessons don’t allow a kid to smile back very often.  This one did not.

I used the coupon on a 4-ply acrylic yarn called Earthy Ombre a bunch of lovely shades of Autumn and it will peg loom knit into a fine hat—maybe nice enough that I’ll keep it for me.

~~love and Huggs, Diane