What To Do, What To Do?

This was a Christmas present from the great white hunter. I ask for it so I could set it on my vanity where I do my hair and makeup every morning. I have tried to live my life by this prayer, not always successfully but this helps remind me. I call it my "know when to shut up" prayer.



There is a situation going on in my neighborhood right now that is testing that prayer for me big time. I just don't quite know the right thing to do.

Your gut tells you one thing but then you know that you don't know the entire circumstance and maybe you are sticking your nose where it should not be. But to not do something might mean harm for a little boy.

I live in a subdivision where the kids are bussed to the nearest schools. At about 3:20 every day two buses, each from a different school, drop off kids on the street that leads out of the subdivision and at the end of my cul-de-sac. Last year I would go to the school to pick up my grand daughter everyday as she was just in kindergarten and we were not comfortable with her riding the bus.

Every so often, if I went out after the buses had dropped off, I would see a little boy about seven or so, sitting on the curb all by himself long after the other kids had gone. When I say long, I am talking anywhere from a half hour to a hour. This was in 110 degree heat and he was on the sunny side of the street with no water. Other neighbors mentioned seeing him there also. Several called the school where he goes and I guess the principal talked to the mother. She even came out one day and sat and waited with the little guy until his older brother (of driving age) came to get him.

This year I am not driving Julia to school so haven't seen him, until last Friday. My DD and I drove by at 4:20 and he was sitting there waiting. The school gets out at 2:50 on Friday so he had been there waiting by himself on a busy street for a hour and a half. Today I called the school and the principal told me she would AGAIN talk to the mom. She said this lady was a good Mom and a nice person...........OK, a good mom does not leave her small child out on the street alone for a hour and twenty minutes but, she said it, not me.

It was pretty clear that the school was going to do nothing. So, I called the Child Abuse hot line to see what could be done. They said it was a law enforcement issue and I should call the police next time it happens. Then the cops would contact them if need be. They also said if I had notified the school, as well as several of my neighbors, the school had a mandate to contact them. She also said that unless I had a name, I could not file a complaint. I don't know the name, nor do I want to know.

Mom knows I was watching today to see when he was picked up, she made sure that I knew she knew. I expect things to change for a few days, then go right back. When she left from picking him up, she drove out of our subdivision, I don't think they live in this neighborhood, if so he could go home and wait. The mother was angry and basically told me to mind my own business. She was driving a really nice car, so I don't think this is a single mother with no other option. But, you never know.

So, what do I do next? I worry that someone is going to harm this little one and if that happens and I don't do something, I will never forgive myself. Then again, should I get involved in such a major degree in a situation that I don't know the circumstances? The school knows and is not doing much, the bus driver dropped him off today and drove off. This has been going on now for at least a year that I know about.

Another question is, is this one of those things that no matter what you do, is going to fall through the cracks until something bad happens and then the involved parties are going to go around saying "Why MY child?" Grrrrrrrrr......