Saturday, it was a day for just BayGirl and me. We went shopping and decided to end our evening at KFC. I know, I know, hillbilly to start with, but close to home, has a buffet which makes it easier for me to find something she’ll eat. We go at 5 and beat a lot of the normal traffic. My back is to the front of the restaurant-behind me is an empty table or two and then the buffet set up.

Everyone comments on how adorable BabyGirl is, blah blah blah. Same ole’ stuff. Near the end of our little dinner of playing and eating, a quite average family for Southern Illinois sits down behind me–a 40-something grandmother with smoker voice, a slow looking mother in her late 20s and three children ranging from about 11 to 1 year old. They sit and argue over who ordered what, what a cute baby that it (BabyGirl), and talked on their cell phones (grandmother and mother). I ignore them and think-wow, children really should be seen and not heard.

During the 5 minutes they were sitting there, two of the little girls got up from their dinner, touched my shoulder to tell me “That baby cute” And then one of the “guardians” called them back to the table saying “leave them alone, Shelby” Okay, maybe Shelby wasn’t her name, but it fits. BabyGirl and I get up to leave, I clear the table. I come back get Alexis out of her high chair standing her on the floor, dusting the crumbs off, I hold BabyGirl’s hand and I put my purse on my shoulder and have my drink in my other hand. We turn to leave and are confronted by the eldest looking child blocking our way out.

All I remember is a ponytail that looked like it was put up the night before and a mouth full of silver (ie Mtn Dew mouth). The little girl does a knee bend, arms out with her hands under my child’s armpits–going to pick her up!! I try to pull BabyGirl behind me and say very firmly “DO NOT TOUCH MY CHILD!” I mean, seriously, this girl thought she could walk up to a stranger and pick up an 18 month old!! What the hell? The girl looks up at me and takes a step back and goes “Okay, I won’t” Her grandmother takes a break from talking on her cell phone and says “She ain’t gonna hurt her none” I tell her “Good, she doesn’t know me and will not touch my baby” The grandmother reiterates as she drags out “She ain’t gonna hurt your daughter” I said something to the affect “I don’t care, nobody touches my child I do not know. She could be sick, have a cold” Grandmother “It’s by the grace of God that that child can walk and talk” I just roll my eyes, pick up BabyGirl and say one more time “I don’t let strangers touch my child” The entire place was staring!!

So, tell me someone. When did babies and toddlers become public properties? Every weekend, at least once, a child or even an adult, will pet her head, tweak her cheek, or try to hold her hand!! I mean really! GROSS What would have you done?!