A stranger's child was screaming on the bus. I cracked. The mum was an absolute legend.
I want to preface this by saying i am not a person who shouts at children. I have never done it before. I hold it together. I am fine on public transport. I read my book, i look out the window, i do the polite British thing where i silently endure whatever is happening around me and say nothing.
Yesterday there was a child behind me on the 47 who had been screaming, not crying, screaming, for about twelve minutes straight. High pitched, relentless, no sign of stopping. I had my headphones in. I could still hear it. I turned the volume up. Still there. I did breathing exercises in my head. Did not help.
At minute thirteen something in me just. went. I turned around in my seat and said quite firmly "can you please stop that." To a four year old. On a bus. In front of everyone.
I immediately braced for impact. I was fully prepared for the mum to absolutely tear into me becuase i had just shouted at her child in public and i would have deserved it.
Instead she looked at her kid and said "see, you've upset people now. i told you. enough." Calm. Firm. Meant it.
The child stopped. Immediately. Just stopped.
The mum and i made brief eye contact. She gave a small nod. I gave a small nod. I turned back around. Nobody said anything else. Three stops later i got off the bus feeling inexplicably emotional about the whole thing.
Shoutout to that mum. Absolute class. We don't deserve her.