A stranger asks to watch her baby. |
I sat next to the young lady bouncing an infant swaddled in pink. The baby was bald; a blank slate for future curls, pigtails, or fly-away fine hair. My best guess is that the caregiver was a nanny or au pair as they call them now. She spoke on her phone with an accent I couldn’t place. She further told the phone that the baby was fussy and she found it difficult to do her homework. A tower of books nestled on the table beside her spoke academics. The bookstore coffee shop was quasi-busy for middle of the day, filling the atmosphere with mingling odors of fresh brewed coffee and tea. I reflected on my own wants of having a baby girl. I would have named her Elizabeth. I wondered what this baby girl’s name could be, but I didn’t ask. It was none of my business. The young nanny flipped her phone closed and lay the baby on the blue fabric chair and with casual manner asked; “Would you mind watching her a moment?” I hesitated, but the baby seemed to be sleeping. “Sure, no problem.” She gathered some books and her laptop. I watched her cross through the coffee shop and then she disappeared into an aisle of books. I thought about how hectic it must be to be a student and have the responsibility of a baby, but more than that, she entrusted a stranger to keep an eye on her charge. Minutes ticked by and turned into many more. The baby squirmed and let out a tiny cry. I cradled her in my arms and stared into her gray-blue eyes. She gave me a fleeting smile and fought to get a pink fist into her mouth. She needed me and I, her. I call her Elizabeth. Word Count: 300 |