Something Squirrelly this Way Comes

Some people should stop and think before they say or do things. Okay, alright, MOST people should just plain think. I was at one of the public libraries last evening, scribbling away on my NaNo novel when I hear this older woman fussing at Chloe - an adorable little girl of about four, I'm guessing.

The woman walks up to this table where two people are busily studying, their books & jackets spread all over the place. Woman nudges a coat to the side to set down her books, all the while fussing at Chloe to "Hurry up. Get over here. You're disturbing people who are trying to study! Chloe! Get over here. NOW!" Chloe wasn't making a sound, only reason I even knew she was there was because of the old windbag. The lady wasn't yelling but she wasn't whispering either. "Chloe, stop fooling around & put your book here." Woman starts tapping her finger on top of her pile of books. Tap. Tap. Tap. All the while glaring at Chloe & urging her to hurry up.

Chloe finally gets to the table, puts her book down. Woman tells Chloe to sit down while she goes to look for another book. Woman walks off and Chloe struggles to pull out a chair to sit down on. She manages to pull the chair out, sit down on it, get her book when the woman hisses at her from the stacks to "Get over here now." Geez lady, make up your mind.

So Chloe gets down & goes over to the woman. Just as Chloe gets there, woman moves on, they're back in the stacks for a couple minutes and then I hear "Chloe! C'mon! Stop playing and let's go!" The woman then emerges from the stacks, no sign of Chloe. More tapping & urging from the woman, "don't make me come get you!" Two seconds later the woman is moving back into the stacks to get Chloe.

"Chloe Annabelle let's go! Stop playing! You're disturbing the people trying to read! Let's GO!" Couple seconds of quiet then, "Chloe! You know what will happen when we get home! CHLOE! One. Two. Three!" The woman then grabs Chloe's wrist (they were only one row back & I could clearly see them) and starts dragging her back to the table. Woman lets go of Chloe, gathers up her books, grabs Chloe's wrist again and heads for the check out desk.

Chloe finally speaks up. "No! Let go! I want my mommy!" and more cries along those lines. I felt bad for little Chloe. The woman was, by far, disturbing more people than Chloe was. The security guard approached them and things seemed to settle down. About ten minutes later, I packed up and headed out. As I was sitting in my car, waiting for another car to back up and get out of my way, this car passes in front of me (99% of the time I back into spaces) and there's Chloe Annabelle in the front passenger seat and mean old lady at the wheel. My first thought was poor Chloe next thought was shouldn't she be in the back, in a car seat? No way she was over the weight or height limit, she was just a little thing. But then again, I don't know the car seat laws here in VA.

Unrelatedly, the Rangers beat the Devils last night. Wooohooooo! However, Rangers play the Canes tonight. Let's Go Canes!