Kid Magnet

I do not know how this happens. It just does. Ever since I was old enough to care for other people's kids I've been a kid magnet. It used to be just animals. Where ever we would go as a family I ended up with a Hamlin trail of pets. Everybody with a "killer" dog would freak out when the dog would take off after my little toddler ass. But the dog always overtook me, ran in front of me and threw itself on the ground legs up til I petted it. And those Demonic Horses that hate even the rider? Angels. I can even ride them reins-free and without using the stirrups. Freaks the trainers out every time.

So its back to being kids again. Some kid at a class party this past Summer (I think I mentioned that) ran up, threw herself on to my lap for a huge hug and sat there until her parents told her that she didn't know me. Didn't seem to matter. This weekend I was at a garage sale with my brother. Same thing.

Little 4 year old girl had been squirming to get off her mom's lap the whole time we were looking over the very sparse and somewhat disappointing offerings. Bro went to pay for his meager purchase and she finally got away from her mom. She ran at me like she had screaming banshees on her heels. Bro saw her coming and just waited to see what would happen. He said she never took her eyes off of me the whole time I was on the property (I had not really noticed her). He eyes never left me the whole time that she was running. When I finally noticed her it was because bro said "Wow you're right." and pointed. She came to a dead stop right in front of me, looked up at me and grinned from ear to ear. I said "hi." and her smile got even bigger.

I don't know what it is. Some little 18 month old did that to me at work the other day. And everywhere I went she followed me. When I took off for the laundry room she screamed until she found someone who would carry her down there. Sucker. I so would have laughed my ass off if she'd suckered the maintenance man into that. What a lark!

I used to say "Geez, too bad I can't get a guy as interested as these dogs (that's what it was at the time) are." Now I'm glad that the Universe didn't decide that was an invitation to one bad joke after the other. Could you imagine if I had a string of panting guys behind me all damn day? How embarrassing. I don't really know how to handle the kids, dogs and horses.

I guess there are worse things. I could have a ton on money and attract nothing but golddiggers.