A Little Understanding

Help From a Stranger

It was Sunday and Layla had been grocery shopping with her almost 4 year old son Benji, and all was going well until they got to the checkout. The line was long and they had to wait. Benji began to get anxious and he wanted to leave.

"It's okay Sweetie, Mummy just needs to pay for our groceries and then we can go okay" she told him calmly as she held his hand tightly.

There were so many noises and bright lights, so many people moving around them and talking at once that Benji became even more anxious. "Go Mumma... go car" he cried.

"We're nearly done Benji, I promise" she said as she placed the basket of groceries up on the counter and the young man began to ring them up.

"Mumma... go pwease Mumma, go now" Benji cried again and people nearby began to stare.

"Almost done baby" she said as she crouched down and placed her hands on Benji's upper arms applying a deep pressure that she knew he found calming. After a few moments he was a little more relaxed.

"That's $58.99 Ma'am" the young man told her as he finished placing her groceries into the reusable bags she had brought with her. Layla quickly paid the young man and thanked him for his service.

As they made their way out to the car, before stepping off the footpath one of the handles on her bag tore and some of their groceries spilled out onto the ground.

"Oh damn" Layla groaned quietly. Holding on to Benji's hand she crouched down and began to place the items back in the bag.

"Mumma. Car now Mumma" Benji wailed as he pulled on her hand.

"Hang on Benji" she said as she scrambled to grab the last few items.

"Go Mumma" Benji cried as he tugged hard, breaking free of her grasp before dashing toward the road.

"Benji stop!" Layla yelled as she ran after him, grabbing him around the waist just before he made it to the road as a large truck sped past. "Benji... dangerous buddy" she warned. "Careful, stay with Mumma".

"Go Mumma... car" he wailed as he threw himself on the ground.

"We are going Sweetie. We are" she assured her son as she carried him back to their abandoned groceries as he flailed and screamed in her arms.

"That boy needs a good spanking" an elderly lady said, her voice laced with disapproval as she approached grabbing a shopping cart.

"He's fine thank you" Layla said dismissing her comment. It wasn't the first time she had dealt with such words.

"He doesn't look fine. Back in my day children would never behave that way" she scolded.

"Well that was a long time ago" Layla quipped as she knelt down with Benji in her arms and continued to gather up her groceries.

"Parents these days are too soft. Children need tough boundaries" she continued to complain.

"For your information I am not soft and he has boundaries. My son has Autism, the world is a very different place for him compared to you or I" Layla replied calmly.

"Pfft, that's just an excuse for bad behaviour" the old woman growled. "He just needs some discipline and better parenting".

By that point Layla was about to lose her cool with the old woman, all the while Benji was still squirming in her arms very distressed. He began to try to bang his head, needing a hard surface the closest thing he could find was his mother's shoulder as she held onto him.

"Excuse me" came a deep voice. "How about you mind your own business and take your ignorant and judgemental opinions elsewhere" spoke a tall and rather handsome man to the interfering old lady. With a huff the lady turned and walked into the grocery store.