Appalled in McCormick

On our way back home yesterday, Alex said he wanted to eat. So, I stopped at Subway in McCormick for a quick bite before continuing on home from our long weekend.

When we walk in the door, I see a couple standing in line with a baby who was probably about a year old. The little boy had nothing on but a diaper. The girl was holding him and then walked over and grabbed a high chair and set it at a table and put him in it and then said, "Don't move!" in a mean voice and walked back over to the counter to continue ordering. She left the child at the table alone. This ticked me off to no end and I kept looking back to check on him and make sure he was okay. When I look back, I realize that he is sunburned, and I mean very red. I got even more mad! There is no excuse for that at all!

They finish ordering and get their food and head over to the table. I never hear the guy utter a word, but any time the baby boy made any sound at all the girl would yell at him to "shut up" or if he tried to stand up in the chair, she'd yell at him to sit down in a very mean voice.

I was irate by this point...there is no excuse ever for treating a child like that...an infant nonetheless! He needs some clothes and shoes, he needs to not be sunburned like he is, and he needs to be talked to in a nice way...even though he's little, he's a person and he deserves to be treated like one. And he needs to be loved, and I can tell you that I sure as heck didn't see any love coming from those two people towards that little boy.

They left, and I just felt sad, mad, and worried. And it made me wonder if there was anything I should have done or if there was anything I could do. Do I call the police and say, "There's a couple being mean to their sunburned child in Subway."? Do I get their tag number and call and report them? I do know that I can pray for that little boy and for the couple he was with. And I hope you will, too.

I know there are children in this type of situation - and worse situations - all over the world. Seeing it firsthand reminds you of how blessed you are and reminds you to give your little one(s) an extra hug or two or three or four or five.

I am so very thankful for those parents, such as my parents and my BFF and her husband, who have felt called to adopt. And I am thankful to those who realized that they were not ready to be a parent and made it possible for their child to be adopted and have a wonderful life with a loving family. I'm just sayin'...