10:22 pm - Monday, Apr. 05, 2004
Breast pumping on the Sabbath
I was at the kids house today, and someone came to the front door and was banging as though they wanted to be let inside badly. Assuming it was one of the kids, I told them to stop banging and go around to the back, which is the door they are supposed to use. The door kept going though, so I pulled it open, throughly agitated, and was suprised that it was a small man of about 45 and not one of the kids. He smiled, and asked "Can one of the children come over to my house? I need them to plug something into the wall, as we observe the Sabbath"
I found this to be a little bit creepy? I mean, obviously he lived nearby, but none of the children recognized him, and he was asking for a 6 year old to come over and enter his house? I thought that this all was shifty. Thoughts ran through my head of all the ways people get lured into random unmarked vans, and are never seen again. So I figured if anyone was going to be abducted and killed, it might as well be me, seeing as how I am supposed to be the one in charge of the children's safety.
When I got to his house, there were two women dressed entirely in black sitting solomnly on the couch, one holding a baby that I swear to god was dead, but I didn't say anything. Maybe it was just her neck at a funny angle. I found out that they wanted me to plug in and prepare a breast pump machine to pump milk for the lifeless baby to drink. It was so weird ... inappropriate almost. But the baby had to eat, and I told them I would help them out (I guess during sabbath you can't touch electrical appliances?). So I plugged in the breast pump and got it going, and they mentioned that they would be coming by for me to turn it off at about 6:00 pm...and I mentioned that I was hired help and I am usually gone by that time.
I dunno. It was just weird. A very specific and unusual experience.
I am flying home to Vancouver tomorrow if I can get my act together and get packed in time. I still have to get notes from amanda, and write a number of emails before I leave, so I better get started. I just wanted to share the oddity of the day....
B.
