so, we took yoshi to the airport again this morning. we went early so we could see the planes from the observation deck. then we went to the AEON mall in kasuya (used to be diamond city lucle) which we haven't been to in ages (because it's so far away.) we had lunch there in an okinawan restaurant (almost as good as visiting okinawa!) then got a few things at kaldi coffee (mainly flour for bread making. oh, and they have rye flour by the way!) hiro and sasha got some free chocolate at kaldi, so then they needed a drink. we went to mr. donut because (i think) they have the best priced kids' drinks. anyway, while standing in line i saw a teacher and her family with whom i used to work (as an ALT). she was the english teacher at the junior high, and her husband was an elementary school teacher. it was cool to see them, even though i couldn't remember their name.

costco is on the way home (yes, that's how i justify it) so we went there. we went last week, though, so i didn't need a lot. i was getting exhausted, so it was time to go home. as i was driving through the parking lot, a young boy ran in front of my car! i managed to stop, but he ran into my car! he fell on the ground, then jumped up and ran away. i got out of the car and looked around. luckily there are some 'parking police' (you know, those guys who direct traffic in big parking lots) and one ran over. he then started to look for the kid. i turned on the hazard lights and waited (yeah, like i'm going to look through a parking lot for a kid who ran into MY car and leave my kids parked in a driving lane...) the guy came back with the kid and his mother, and i asked him if he was ok. it looked like he had blood on his shirt (but a very small amount) and i was so worried about him. the parking police called mall management and soon enough a crowd of guys came up to us. they started talking to the mom and boy, basically totally ignoring me (ok, i know this is a child that *potentially* was just hit by a car but come on! it's pretty scary to hit a child who just ran out in front of your car from behind a van--he ran out between parked cars, i never saw him until he emerged--AND i have three small children in the car, i think at least ONE of they management guys should have talked to me at the same time....) the boy was ok, maybe a small scrape on his hand, and the 'blood' on his shirt actually was something he spilled on himself at lunch. phew. so THEN the management types turn to me and say that it looks like it was pretty minor but just in case i should give my phone number and address to the other woman...but she didn't want to have anything to do with that, i think she actually said she didn't want to go to the trouble. whew.

this was an older child, i totally saw him (just imagine if it were a two-year-old *shudder*) but i wonder if he was mentally incompetent. his mom said she didn't see/know what happened since she was putting stuff in her car and he ran off. geez. i am glad he is ok (and not just because i would have so much trouble) but i hope his mom can keep him out of danger from now on.

now we are at home and i think we may not go out for a couple of days, unless it's on foot!