"I Want To Go To Sidney's!"

[dotinthesky]

Tantrum, a photo by Gillian Syer on Flickr.

I was waiting for a bus home at Bethnal Green when I noticed a father and his young son standing nearby. The boy was holding a union flag umbrella and was arguing with his father about something. The bus arrived and the father ushered the pissed off little boy inside.

As they climbed the double-deck, the boy started crying. I'd been thinking about my brother and his son and I became curious about these two - about what they were arguing about and how the dad was dealing with it. So I chose a seat right behind them to eavesdrop on their conversation.

I didn't realise I'd just purchased A1 Stall tickets for the mother of all tantrums!

The boy cried louder and louder, his face red and wet from tears. The father told him to shut up and calm down but it only wound up the boy. "I want to go to Sidney's! I want to go to Sidney's!!" he cried. Louder. And louder. AND LOUDER.

The father slapped him once, then twice, then three times, telling him to shut up and calm down. He could go tomorrow to Sidney's, not today. This worsened the situation because apparently the dad had previously promised a visit to Sidney's today. Everybody in the bus was hypnotised (some disturbed, some smiling with sympathy.)

Comments

[myendeavorca.livejournal.com]

What?! You're allowed to publicly slap kids there?!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I guess...? I'm not sure what the laws are here. People stared uncomfortably - he gave the little boy a particular hard slap on his hand - but nobody said anything (including myself...)

[suede.livejournal.com]

Haha I do the same, when I want to spy on strangers conversations I try to seat next to them or walk close by!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I don't tend to be that curious, but my brother and nephew were on my mind (and I think I was a bit tired too from work) so I drifted nearby without thinking too much.

[naturalbornkaos.livejournal.com]

I feel for Sidney in this situation, who's probably still sat there waiting. :(

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

If only Sidney knew the power he has over his friends!

[changeling72.livejournal.com]

I used to get slapped across the arm or round the legs. And look how I turned out...

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I used to get slaps too, and even got chased around by my mom waving a shoe to hit me.

[sor-eye-ah.livejournal.com]

My mum used to carry a wooden spoon in her handbag :)

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Ha! My mom's mom chased her with a wooden spoon - that's very old school. :-)

[millionreasons.livejournal.com]

Urgh, those situations are grim - when you feel sorry for the parent dealing with such things and then sorry for the kid as the parent acts badly. But all this is good stuff to use!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

And sorry too for the passengers who have to put up with it. At least i wasn't stuck in a long flight with them!

[norabird.livejournal.com]

That union jack is only whetting my appetite!

[sor-eye-ah.livejournal.com]

So what was the outcome in the end?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Don't know! I left while the tantrum was still happening, but the one thing I know is that he didn't go to Sidney's that night.