A little while ago I was in the supermarket buying some stuff and there was a woman in front of me with a baby and about 10 jars of baby food.  I didn't think anything of it until she started talking rather emphatically about how her daughter just had her one year check-up where she proudly told the pediatrician that her kid was only on table food.  Her baby was sick now and teething and only wanted mushy foods though.  I told her that was totally normal, fine - anything I could think of to make her feel better and less weird.  I mean, feeding kids is not a science.  Some days they will love something and the next day they won't.  I also told the woman not to feel bad and just be happy that her daughter was eating at all!   She seemed relieved and even thanked me for the kind words.  We said goodbye.  It was then off to the bagel place and the same woman was in line there too.  Here we introduced ourselves, talked some more and bid farewell once again.  

I love when random encounters like this happen.  I feel that since I had a baby, spontaneous conversations happen like this very frequently.  It's a really good feeling -- just talking honestly with someone that you don't really know, yet bond with on another level.  It's always nice to make a new acquaintance,  especially when you are out taking your kid for a walk or stroller ride and you need some human contact.  Like, last week.  I was coming out of the bank and saw one of our favorite shop owners. She remembered when I first had Mamie and I remembered when she had her daughter a year ago.  We were catching up and all of a sudden someone comes barreling out of the bank with her stroller, almost knocking us over.  

"Great place to stand, right in front of the door," the woman growled nastily at us.  

I wanted to yell back, "It's only Park Slope, not TOO many babies here, you know," but I was frozen in my tracks.  It was the woman with the baby food dilemma!  I looked at her to just try and get some recognition going.  But nah, she tore away like her tuchis was on fire (maybe it was?)  I looked at my friend in bewilderment.

"That was crazy, right?" I said to her.

Confirmation affirmative.  We both stared at the back of this woman as she fumed away.  I couldn't help saying something, so I shouted down the street.

"Hey, hey, HEY. Remember last week when we met in the supermarket and had that really nice talk?  Well, HELLO."

But she didn't/wouldn't turn back and I was left standing on the street corner with the words hanging thick.  What was she thinking?  Bad day?  PMS?  Poopie diaper emergency?  Just not a nice person?  There are a lot of strollers here and being caught behind one when you're in a hurry sucks.  But I mean, she had a stroller too.  And she was using it like a lawn mower.

So I saw her today, and she still wasn’t picking up what I was putting down.  I smiled at her kid, and then looked at her for a glimmer of acknowledgment.  That's fine if she didn't remember me, or didn't want to remember me, but I thought, here we are with kids who want to play with each other, so let's just set an example and be friendly to each other.  But no.  She wasn't down with it.  When they left, Mamie waved goodbye and I muttered a "see ya," but I don't think it got through.  That's cool though.  I'm just glad she didn't have her stroller with her this time!