The Baby With the Big Smile

|
Imagine that you were a little person who was sick enough that you had to go sleep in the hospital. Then imagine that you had to sleep on the floor, because all the beds were full of other sick kids and their moms. Then imagine that a very large person whose skin color was quite different from that of all the familiar people in your life came, got down on the floor and poked and prodded you with various objects. Do you think you would smile as big as this? And do you think you could hold the smile long enough for the big oddly-colored man to take a close-up of you?

I don't think so.

Most babies older than about 6 months are afraid of all strangers, and many of the kids here are particularly frightened by white-skinned people, particularly men. In fact, with reference to the kids, we refer to ourselves as the BUWGs (big ugly white guys). It's not a happy thing for someone like me, who loves little kids, to have then scream in terror when I approach. So this little tyke made me very happy.

Fortunately, he wasn't very sick.

COMMENTS