Daddy Left Baby in the Dairy Section

By this point, I already opened and shut at least six cooler doors in the drinks section of the Seven Eleven.

“Get something healthy.”

“Hmm.”

“Coconut Water. “

“Ok."

Then, the Monster energy drinks caught my eyes.

"Nah. Those can't be very good for you."

The pyramids of Taiwan Beer for sale talked to me next.

"No dude. It's only one o’clock."

I settled for a different idea, coffee. I could catch a buzz, and not ruin my teeth, heart, and liver in less than 12 ounces of liquid.

 I walked to the register to order an Americano while sadly moving away from all the fun and magic of the Beers and Energy Drinks.  Suddenly, two tiny eyes locked in on mine.

"This has to be a joke. "

I confirmed my suspicions. It was an unattended toddler sitting on the railing of the dairy section.

I scratched my head, as she gazed up at me in awe. Her amazement of a foreigner quickly turned to a playful fear. She worked her pacifier over as she pondered her next move. Then, she suddenly dashed away from me while letting out a playful screech.

I had to know who this two year old belonged to. So, I maintained a safe distance while following her to the back corner of the store.

I found her hiding from me among a jamboree of terrible noises.

“Man. That Soap Opera has to be at Volume level 99 on this guy’s phone. ”

“Also, it’s a Dude, watching a Soap Opera.”

I detected the next noise that was annoying me.

“Jesus. 7 years. And, I still never heard a Taiwanese song I like.”

Of course, the customers never once considered turning down their phones. Fortunately, they seemed mildly interested in what the little girl was doing. While silently cursing them, I guessed, “Ah, I found the parents, at least.

Over all this racket, I heard a sound worse than their music, and their soap opera, kind of like noodle slurps. However, the sound was actually beer being sucked through a straw. The straws  reminded me of my last snorkeling trip to swim with the Sea Turtles, and that I hadn’t upheld my promise to never use a plastic straw again. 

I silently judged them again.

 "You two aren’t going to win  the  2019 Taiwan Parent Of The Year Award, slurping beers at 1:00 on a Thursday while your kid hangs out in the dairy section.”

“But, the kid is reasonably safe, happy, and clean.”

“Parenting is probably tough. “

“So, whatever.”  

“Order your coffee and back to work you go, Josh."

It got to be my turn to buy.

"Yeah, Americano. Cold. Thanks."

Then, the entrance door behind me beeped as the 7-11 workers greeted the customer, “Welcome.”

 I gazed at the door. A young man in his mid 40’s strolled in like he knew exactly what he needed to buy, and the precise location of the same item. Then, he headed to the dairy section for his item. The item he was looking for, was his daughter.  He scooped her up while she was patiently sitting on the railing waiting for her dad.

“What just happened? Did he tell her to wait in the dairy section while he went to run errands? Is this real? Is this a dream?”

I stood with a cup of coffee and watched him load her into his car as I thought about what could be considered by any normal human being, his flaws. His lack of attentiveness. His lack of responsibility.  Or, was he really just that on top of his game as Dad?

He loaded her into her car seat, and they went on their way..