Saturday 25 May 2019

An Offer You Can't Refuse

Virginia was baptised at Swanvale Halt church a couple of years ago, and is not quite ready for school. Occasionally she and mum Josie come to Toddler Group. Apart from ordering a coffee from Josie at the railway station stand where she works I haven't spoken to either of them since the baptism. I meant to have a chat at Toddlers this week, but they weren't there. So when I saw them at the station this afternoon, despite being in civvies, I went to say hello, to make the point that I don't just forget people as a matter of course (only accidentally). They were off to granny's for the half term week - granny lives in Worcester so it's quite a trek. 'My bag is full of toys,' said Virginia seriously. Then she went on 'Sit here,' and indicated the seat next to her.

'Well, I was going to go further along,' I answered, a bit awkward as I was invading their space, but Virginia insisted. 'No, sit here,' she instructed, firmly, and so I said it would probably be OK if I did. I sat with a gap between myself and them but then she announced she was going to move seats and sat next to me, although she did carry on a conversation with her mum as well as describing various toys to me in the couple of minutes before the train arrived. How strange and touching for me, a stranger really, to receive an invitation into their situation from a not-quite-five-year-old.

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