Tina
Tagless and bitter about it
- Joined
- Aug 20, 1999
- Messages
- 3,867
Tonight I decided to stop by Target on the way home for a couple of things. As I was walking to the check-out, I noticed a little boy about 3 years old, wandering aimlessly, looking around like he was lost. I asked him "Are you lost? Are you looking for you mommy?" He looked at me as if I had 3 heads, so I assumed he didn't speak English. Not uncommon in the Hispanic community here. So I walked up to the nearby check out and said the (late 20's) cashier, "I think that little boy is lost and I don't think he speaks English. Do you have someone you can call?"
He looked at the boy and said "I think I know who his sister is" and started scanning the front of the store for her. "There she is" he nodded toward a young girl pushing an empty cart. She couldn't have been more than 9 or 10 and had two younger children trailing her. He gestured to the little boy in the direction of the sister and he wandered after her.
As I was checking out I asked "where is their mom? Are they here alone?"
He shrugged and said, "They've been here for hours."
A few seconds later, as I was leaving, I noticed the little boy was once again alone, sitting on the floor of a closed checkout, digging through the candy display.
I thought of going to customer service, but as I passed, I noticed one young girl working the counter, probably about 16 or so. No adults. I left the store.
Now I can't stop thinking about it and wish I had asked them to call the store manager. And I should have then asked that store manager to call the police. In this day and age with child molesters and abductions, that little boy, or any of his siblings, should not be wandering Target for hours without a parent. I'm willing to bet the parent works in the area and is using the store as a child care facility. I hate days like this. I wish I had acted differently.
He looked at the boy and said "I think I know who his sister is" and started scanning the front of the store for her. "There she is" he nodded toward a young girl pushing an empty cart. She couldn't have been more than 9 or 10 and had two younger children trailing her. He gestured to the little boy in the direction of the sister and he wandered after her.
As I was checking out I asked "where is their mom? Are they here alone?"
He shrugged and said, "They've been here for hours."
A few seconds later, as I was leaving, I noticed the little boy was once again alone, sitting on the floor of a closed checkout, digging through the candy display.
I thought of going to customer service, but as I passed, I noticed one young girl working the counter, probably about 16 or so. No adults. I left the store.
Now I can't stop thinking about it and wish I had asked them to call the store manager. And I should have then asked that store manager to call the police. In this day and age with child molesters and abductions, that little boy, or any of his siblings, should not be wandering Target for hours without a parent. I'm willing to bet the parent works in the area and is using the store as a child care facility. I hate days like this. I wish I had acted differently.
, but try no to be so hard on yourself. At least you care enough to be bothered, so many people *don't*.
There's usually at least 5 or 6 that arrive by bus and stay until their parents get out of work. One girl goes everyday and has been hanging out in the children's corner for a couple of years, she is now 12. My daughter will start getting dropped off there on T and Th because she doesn't want to stay home alone and there is no after school program for kids once they hit middle school (6th grade). While I think it's great for the middle school aged kids, I think it is asking too much of the librarians when the kids are younger...
