Thanks For Being Nice To Me

[poliphilo]

I was out cutting the hedge yesterday afternoon and a child from down the street- a lonely 12 year old who gets lost in the crowd of her siblings- stopped by for a chat.  After a while I asked Ailz (sotto voce) to come and chaperone me because- well- a middle-aged man has to be careful around kids these days. I hate it, but there you are.  Ailz was showing her our collection of soft toys (we've got hundreds of them) and wound up giving her a couple. Later she returned with gifts of her own- a miniature scent bottle and a doll's hand mirror- plus a thankyou note. 

thank's for the tedy what you give me and thank's for being nice to me and you are a good frend to now.

I've fixed it to the fridge with a magnet. 

I don't know how people who are around kids all the time can stand it- all those vulnerable young lives- and knowing all the horrors that surround and await them- and being so powerless to do anything about it- like watching a fleet of paper boats going off down a fast-flowing river. 

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I was at boarding school and the art room was my refuge. When others were out playing football or marching about pretending to be soldiers (I was very good at evading all hearty, organised pursuits) I'd be curled up on the art room settee going through the Phaidon art books.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

Good for you! You are another friend of mine who marched to the "beat of the different drummer" in youth as well as maturity! (Those are the people who I have loved the most all my life.)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's always been a rule with me: see where everyone else is headed, then walk off in the opposite direction.