Paphos People

We were the reluctant good citizens tonight. Whilst down the harbour there was a young lad about 7/8 pacing up and down the waterfront crying quite unconsolably. Several people just walked by without a glanve and simply ignoring, he was sobbing "Papa", so was clearly lost.

We approached him carefully, all the time mindful of the repurcussions of modern day life, and tried to calm him down.

He was Belgian and didnt speak English, and my Flemish/French is limited to sweary words, so not too helpful.

We managed to persuade him just to stay where he was and not wander, found out his dads name Urrirro or similar, and managed a description. We paced around looking for a dad who fitted the description, and fortunately another couple arrived which meant that we could wander looking for the Papa.

We still felt guilty and conspicuous walking away with a small boy holding his hand, but fortunately his parents appeared with another 2 children (25 minutes later), they were neither up nor down at the fact the boy was missing, the parents really werent bothered that much..

We eventually got a thank you after I went back across to the parents to check everything was OK.

Some parents seem to think that responsibility stops when you leave your own shores.

Had they been another 5 minutes, a call to the police was the next move, as Im not getting lumbered with someone elses crying kiddie for a fortnight!!!!!

Still managed the frozen yogart and enjoyed the rest of our walk.

Pix tomorrow

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Straight talking, no Gimmicks.

Live your dreams.

Well done I can understand why people don't want to get involved but I would like to think that someone would take care of my smally people if they got lost.

Shame on the parents for not thanking you properly tho. They would be the first to criticise if something went horribly wrong

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Sarah & Phil

It beggars belief how careless and forgetful parents are with their children on holiday in a foreign country... have no lessons been learnt?

Jan

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ALWAYS MOVE FORWARD

How on earth can you be without your child for over 25 minutes and not miss them

Maybe I was over protective over 20 years ago so I don't want to even think about how I would be now

Good for you doing the right thing but even doing that would make me nervous in this day and age. It's a sad state of affairs we've come to don't you think?

Well done to you both and enjoy the rest of your holiday.

Jackie

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If it has tyres or testicals you are going to have problems with it!

Well done Tanny and Tricia.

I know what everyone means. At one point Steve would be the first to help out but he now holds back. I don't think but just act which I suppose will get me in trouble one day.

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"Your dog is your friend, your partner, your defender. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true until the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion"

imagine not being stressed having had your child missing for 25 minutes or maybe more before you came to his rescue..... how irresponsible! if that had been robbie i would have been sick with worry and probably been crying as much as the little boy!
it is sad that in todays society we have to think twice before approaching a lost child, but i am glad you did goodness knows how long he would have been on his own for if you had not stepped in or even worse ...what could have happened to him!

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Kathryn x