whatever happened to, "Children should be Seen but not heard"?

Good morning anyone who has ever been offended by wild children in restaurants, grocery stores or at the mall. 

 

Responding to comments about taking your children from the restaurant when they misbehave reminds me of the day Cathy and I stopped by the Red Robin for lunch.  The restaurant was nearly deserted when we arrived and we took a booth some distant from the front.  About the time our meal was delivered to our table an explosion occurred in the front of the restaurant.  The doors banged open and four Gnomes charged in, shouting and shoving one another.  Behind them came two weary looking women.  The young hostess brightly greeted them and escorted them down the aisle and despite a nearly empty restaurant, stopped at the booth directly across from us.  Immediately three of the Urchins began a fist fight over who got to sit where.  The fourth, about four years old, turned and spotted my white cane laying alongside our booth.  He charged over and reached down to grab it.  Cathy was quicker than the wee one.  She put her foot on the end of the cane.  It snapped out of the little grubby hand.  "You should never take something that doesn't belong to you without first asking," she purred.  "Now go sit down!" 

The little dear stopped, looked up as if he were seeing us for the very first time and then spit at Cathy.  He then turned and fled across to the arms of one of the women.  She, in turn, looked across at Cathy and glared. 

By now the Circus was in full progress.  Two of the darlings were straddling the backs of the booths and riding hard for the round up, shouting encouragement as they rode.  One adult stood up and escaped to the Ladies Room, leaving the other one in charge.  She promptly called someone on her cell phone.  The little spitter was now standing on the table trying to reach something high on the wall.  A small girl, who might have been pretty if a few layers of grub were removed, was charging up and down the aisle screaming for her mother, the smart one who'd fled to the safety of the restroom. 

And now the sweet young waitress floated up to our booth and asked, "Is everything all right?" 

I must pause her and tell you that Cathy is Italian, and can be...ah...direct and very expressive.  "Why on earth, with all the room in this restaurant, would you seat these noisy children next to us?"  Cathy demanded. 

The waitress actually looked puzzled.  She turned and took in the scene, shoving shouting Cherubs now flinging water and pop at one another.  Turning back she asked, "Don't you like children?" 

That did it.  Cathy grabbed her purse, stood up, yanked me out of my seat just as I was about to chomp down on my yummy burger, and said, "I love children.  Do you have any around here?" 

And out we marched, leaving the sound machine behind.  "Darn," I complained, "I never get to stay for the floor show".  That got me an elbow in the ribs. 

 

Curious Carl