Today, my friends Cori and Kodjo and our kids, Ollie, Ivy, Samara and Ari all went to the Central Park Zoo.
It was a lot of fun, until we set foot on an Upper East Side playground. Upon entering the playground we were met with a resounding amount of hostile looks and strange interactions. It was like they knew the Brooklyn parents were coming.
Here’s one interaction that particularly stood out in my mind as bizarre:
I went to see what Ari was up to on the giant slide while Cori was keeping an eye on Samara. When I returned, Cori informed me that one mother let her know that Samara should stay away from her stroller, because Samara was eating a bagel with peanut butter on it, and one of her twin girls had a severe peanut allergy.
When I returned, Cori let me know what this woman said.
Cori and I immediately starting asking the mom questions, out of genuine curiosity, did she have an epi pen? Could her daughter eat items that were made in the same factory as nuts? The woman became noticeably defensive.
“It’s just life!” She said shrugging her shoulders. “Things could be worse!”
I believe she wanted to call attention to herself, however, insinuating that my child was dangerous to her child, and that I should keep my 18 month old away from hers, in my humble opinion, was total bullshit and completely ridiculous.
We were in a public place. We weren’t in a school, or even an inclosed place that might be even more hazardous.
If she was so concerned about the safety of her child, then she should move her kid herself! Tell her daughter to keep away from the little girl with the peanut butter. Why is her problem now my problem?
If I were playing the game “Clue,” and wanted to relate to you what just happened, I would say it was Samara at the playground with the peanut butter bagel. She’s clearly an attempted murderer.
Discuss!