A Little Girl

Yesterday, I was meeting with a friend of mine in the mall. We were having a regular conversation when a young girl, probably about 7 or 8, ran into the middle of the food court, and let out a piercing scream. At first, we just ignored her, figuring a temper tantrum. But then I took a closer look. And recognized the sheer panic in her saucer-sized eyes. She was lost. And VERY frightened.

Before I could react, another lady, obviously a mother, but not hers (she was of different ethnic background to the little girl) came up to her and immediately began to ask the girl what her mom looked like. Where she saw her last, etc etc. The girl was too far into a panic that she couldn’t answer. So the woman said “I’m going to pick you up so you can look and see if you see her”. I was amazed that the girl let her, though she seemed to be oblivious of the woman, and just frantically looking around.

By this time, everyone in the food court was focused on this activity. Most of us were also looking in every direction, trying to locate what was probably an equally frantic woman running across the mall to collect her child. The agitation grew as the moments flew by and this didn’t happen.

Finally, the woman began to walk towards a worker – a cleaning lady emptying the garbage. After a few moments, a security guard appeared, and the three of them hurried away together.

After a few startled moments, the food court returned to its familiar buzz, and the incident was forgotten. But every once and awhile, the little girl crosses my mind. What was the story there? How had she gotten so misplaced at the mall? Did she find mom? And how long was it until they were reunited?

I recall the look of complete panic and fear in the little girl’s eyes. We’ve all been there haven’t we? Some of us have been in both positions – played the part of the little girl, and of the stricken mother.

There are times that I forget how safe we are in Canada. Because that scene at the mall would be so different in some of the war torn countries. While the general feeling at the mall was sympathy for the little girl, there was little panic among the onlookers. We felt her fear, but we also knew better – mom’s around. And she isn’t going anywhere till she gets her little one back. But in war torn countries, that wouldn’t be as certain. And the little girl may not have been the only child screaming and missing a parent. And the onlookers would be dealing with their own terror at the same time.

While I don’t know the ending to the scene yesterday, I can pretty much guess. A reunion, some stern words, a few tears, and then hugs and affection. But in so many areas in the world, those endings are few and far between.

And that little girl doesn’t know how lucky she really is…