First Bout with Bullies

We were in the pedia's waiting lounge when Laila had her first brush with bullies.

Laila was playing side-by-side with other children, including a pair of brothers older and much, much bigger than her. The boys were trying to make her feel unwelcome in their two-man gang. Thank heavens Laila really hadn't understood the unsaid messages and didn't pay them any mind at all.

But I did. I was already on alert when I overheard the bigger boy proudly tell his Mom, who happened to share the bench with me, that he and the other boy was 'making bastos to the girl in red.' Laila was wearing a fuchsia shirt, but she was the only girl there wearing a shirt in the shade of red.

The Mom, who I initially thought was the Lola, admonished them lightly. But when the smaller boy walked past Laila I saw him swat her sleeve. The nerve! Did they think they'd get away with it?!

Laila didn't notice but I saw all of it. And my blood pressure shot up so high the air pressure inside the Glorietta 2 mall basement would have been ashamed. I promptly informed the Mom--who would easily pass off as the 'before' model in a skin care ad--about what her son did.

She admonished them again. More forcefully this time. She also made them apologize to me. I would have preferred that they apologize to Laila, but the boys wouldn't have understood the wisdom of apologizing to an even smaller kid. So I just told him not to do it again. The smaller boy later approached Laila and I could discern from his body languag he was trying to make amends.

When Laila sat on my lap I asked her if any of the kids made her feel bad. She said no and chirped that she had fun playing with her new friends.

Bless her for being so benevolent. As she grows up, I should teach her to temper that.