A blind eye...

The girls are running towards the other side of the field; the climbing frame, swing set and zip slide. The sun's out and I'm enjoying the dawdle. Their confidence soars with each step they take further away from me.

Of course they are safe. Or so I think. For when I catch up, I realise that both of them are examining their hands.

As soon as I see it, I smell it, and immediately it's apparent that some poor soul has not only trodden in dog foul, but has trodden it up the ladder of the climbing frame too, leaving a great wodge of it on the third step.



Oh what? A children's play park is meant to be a place of such innocence. What a load of... well, crap.

All three of us are somewhat bewildered as we cross back over the field. Me, a woman possessed, holding them tightly by the wrists and each at arms length.

Of course I don't have my bag with me. No wipes. What to do? 

I walk into a nearby cul-de-sac and at the very first house I come to, find a woman dusting her front room visible through the window.

My initial thought; 'Do people really dust on a day like today?' is quickly followed by, 'I'm going to have to wear a look that says, please come to your door and talk to me; a maniac mother with shitty daughters.'

Amazingly, she opens her door. Amazingly, she doesn't shut it again. Amazingly, she joins us on her front lawn with wipes galore. And then, even more amazingly, she cleans Esme's hands as I wipe Sofia's.

FOOTNOTE
I love where we live. I think I'd go as far as to say, I even love that woman. Oh but how I detest people that conveniently turn a blind eye when their dogs shit everywhere.