The Stares on the Bus

Due to our recent car troubles we have been using public transit to get around for the past week or so. Gavin couldn't be happier with this change in our method of transporation. The boy is OBSESSED with buses. Each bus ride is like a mini adventure. He yells excitedly, "BUS! BUS! BUS!" as he sees it approaching. We get on and find a seat and he looks around and greets random people with a "Hi!" or sometimes even a "Hello!" Then he sits proudly in his own seat and looks out the window, pointing out every other bus we pass. Sometimes when the bus gets crowded and he has to sit on my lap and someone else sits beside him, he is less than friendly and points at them saying, "Oh no!" which is when I have to explain that we have to share the seats with everyone!

During these bus-capades I have noticed a lot more stares and curious looks in Gavin's direction. It is hard not to notice. There are those that think they are being discreet and then there are those who could care less about being discreet. When I start to get annoyed I just try to tell myself that maybe they are just staring at him because he's cute.

The worst are the sympathetic looks. You can see it in their eyes that they're feeling sorry for him and thinking it is such a sad situation. Ya I may not have a smile plastered on my face, but I'm probably thinking about my car troubles, not my child's arm!

We have also encountered a lot more questions than usual. People wanting to know what happened to his arm or if he was born that way. I am usually very patient and friendly because we don't get asked those questions as often as you would think. But I can see myself becoming a lot less forthcoming as it becomes more and more annoying and invasive.