Pointing in public

The boys are excited about the world, but they have not seen it all. So when they see something they find exciting, they don't hold back... they point, gesture wildly, dance about and even say exactly what is on their mind in a "loud enough for everyone to hear" voice.

Sometimes this is great, like when they spot the hawk that has come to live in the park beside our house. Sometimes it is embarrassing beyond belief!

With the weather warm, we all are getting outside and the restaurants with outside tables are packed. And NY is full of all sorts of people! Some even surprise me, but it takes less to surprise the boys. And when the weather is warm, people are not hidden under coats, scarves and hats. So Spring is when I think we all revisit humanity and start talking to each other on the street/at the park again.

We are out, eating hot dogs at a favorite dive on Broadway, when a very small person, (I'm afraid to use midget, as that may be an inappropriate term), with a very long beard, in a wheel chair is seated near us. Any one of these characteristics may have caught the boys' eyes, but all three!

"Mommy, why is that man so small? Does he not eat enough? Why is there so much hair growing from his face? Is that why he is small? Is he part animal?" and on and on. All with arm extended pointing straight at the dude in question. "Please put your arm down" I say, to which he responds, "Does the wheel chair help him reach the table? Why put my arm down? Why stop talking". The neighboring tables kept their heads down, but I could see their shoulders shaking. And once the Big Boy is in full excitement mode, the Little Man clamors in with his enthusiasm for participation. Thankfully, he's still hard for the general public to understand.

I found out there are at least a few questions I'm not prepared to answer. I now know this. I can't explain everything. I clearly don't know everything. But I can at least stop the pointing. And for the subject, I think he was a French tourist. He either ignored us beautifully, or truly didn't understand a word of English.