Not weird, but off gaurd response to an observation.
I am sitting at a booth at the Old Country Buffet. I am with my 3 yrs old daughter and my wife. The two of them can make me nuts after a while. They both go on and on and on....My daughter is in a phase...public scenes of uncountrolable whining. My wife...well never mind. I'm thinking to myself that line I used in another thread: "is THIS my life...not how I imagined it would turn out. Would the two of you just be quite (shut up) and just leave me alone." I have the usual stressed out and irritated disposition that I often get under these conditions and circumstances
In walks a man, a woman and their daughter. Their daughter, appears late teen early twenties, is dressed in a pretty Sunday dress. The Dad and Mom are all smiles and they are a happy family. Thing is; the girl has some sort of physically handicapping and diasbeling condition. She walks with a hoble and is hunched over. It sounded as if it also effected her communication skills. I'm at a loss for the condition. But it was very drastic and dramatic and quite disabeling. It appeared a birth type of defect.
The father has to physically help his daughter through the restaraunt to the table and to her seat. He has to get all her things in order for her. He has to cut up her food for her, etc etc. All the while he is sitting straight across from me two booth down within eye and ear shot.
The man catches my eye. He casually goes about his business smiling and enjoying himself. By this time I am beside myself with shame and guilt....ealizing how blessed I am with three healthy children. One of which I just moments ago was resenting for her acting out and aggrevating me. I am overcome with emotion and begin to swell up just to the point that the viscocity of the tears is on my lids is all that hold them contained from pouring down my face. The man looks up again and glances at me...not sure if he can see the tears swelling in my eyes. I smile at him...he smiles back.
In comes my daughter from the buffet line, running and jumping and disregarding her mother trying to guide her through the booths and tables. These very same things, just moments ago we such a burden and a resentment. She jumps up on the table, knocks over some food and drink. Slams into me and climbs over me into the seat beside me in the booth.
The bustle of her climbing over me knocked the tears loose from my lids and they fall down my face. Pouring well down passed my chin and up under to my neck.
She glances up at me to gauge my state of irritation at her new 'burdensome' behavior to see me wiping tears from my face and neck.
Brianna: Daddy...what's wrong?
Daddy: Nothing is wrong angel.
Brianna: Why are you sad?
Daddy: I'm not sad honey.
Brianna: Oh...those are happy tears? What for?
Daddy: Your the best!!!
Brianna: Thank you Daddy. Your the best too?
I hug her and turn my glance upward from looking down at her. I make dead on eye to eye contact with the man sitting across from me...he's still smiling as big as ever. I smile back at him ever moreso sincere.
"Strongman, yeah he knows how to cry"