eyelessgame (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
eyelessgame) wrote2006-08-11 05:58 pm
eyelessgame) wrote2006-08-11 05:58 pm
Entry tags:
Learning social graces
Poor Josh. He finished his skating lesson as Robert and Kate were starting theirs, and he told me he wanted a churro. I looked through the glass and saw four people in line waiting to be served at the snack bar, handed him $1.25 and asked him if he knew where the line was; he nodded. I finished packing my things up and followed him a minute later.
When I got there he was proudly walking away from the counter, holding a churro. The same four people were still in line.
Um, I thought. I congratulated him on buying the churro properly, but pointed to the line and told him (in a sympathetic normal tone, only loud enough that nearby people paying attention could hear) he was supposed to stand in line first -- "so you know for next time."
His expression crumpled, his eyes filled with tears. Sobbing, he handed the churro to me, telling me he didn't want it anymore. It took several minutes to convince him no one was upset with him, it was okay, five-year-olds are still learning these things, and really, no, it was okay, he could have the churro he paid for, and I knew next time he'd stand in line.
When I got there he was proudly walking away from the counter, holding a churro. The same four people were still in line.
Um, I thought. I congratulated him on buying the churro properly, but pointed to the line and told him (in a sympathetic normal tone, only loud enough that nearby people paying attention could hear) he was supposed to stand in line first -- "so you know for next time."
His expression crumpled, his eyes filled with tears. Sobbing, he handed the churro to me, telling me he didn't want it anymore. It took several minutes to convince him no one was upset with him, it was okay, five-year-olds are still learning these things, and really, no, it was okay, he could have the churro he paid for, and I knew next time he'd stand in line.