Day-Careless, Part 2

(I am heading into a department store when I notice my shoelaces are untied, and bend down just before the entrance to redo them. When I stand up there is a baby stroller next to me with what looks to be a two- to three-month-old sleeping inside. I look around and ask a couple of people going by if they know anything. None do, but a couple offer to pop inside and get help. The manager and a couple of workers come and take the child inside and make announcements over half an hour for anyone to claim him. After I have finished my shopping I go back and ask about him, and am told that the police have been informed. Cue a woman frantically running up to the counter.)

Woman: “Excuse me, I need to report a missing child. I left my son with your daycare and he’s disappeared!”

Worker: “But madam, we don’t have a daycare. We do have a—”

Woman: “But, then where is he!” *turning and somehow recognising me* “YOU! YOU KIDNAPPED MY SON!”

Me: “What are you— Oh, wait. Are you talking about the kid that was left at the entrance?”

Woman: “YES! YOU KIDNAPPED HIM! I’M PHONING THE POLICE!”

(The police are already in the building responding to the call made by the store. The woman is reunited with her son, but she demands I be arrested for attempted kidnapping. We try to explain the situation, but the woman is in complete hysterics. The manager offers to show the police the footage of the entrance to try and clear the things up. After viewing it, they come out to us.)

Officer: “You are free to go, sir. It appears that this lady walked up to you with her stroller and simply left it next to you before walking into the store. We can’t even see her say anything.”

(I turn to see her blushing and staring at the ground.)

Me: *bewildered* “So, she just left her child with a complete stranger, hoping they would take care of him?”

Woman: *snapping her head up and glaring at me* “I WAS BUSY!”

(The woman fell into hysterics again and was being escorted to an ambulance as I left the store.)