The language of babies...

I was out exploring some new streets today, partly looking in vain for a laundromat that charges less than 10 euros for a single load. I don't think there's any place cheaper to be found - all of the other "Putzerei" are the sort where you drop your clothes off and come back the next day, paying even more scandalous prices such as 4 euros to clean a necktie. But I did discover some cool new stores, and some pretty avenues, and the first American-size supermarket I've seen yet (big enough that you can purchase childrens' bicycles there, and it has its own sit-down cafeteria-style restaurant).

Much more importantly, I saw three particularly charming instances of young child behavior/good parenting. At aforementioned supermarket, there was a 5-year old riding in the shopping cart while his grandmother sang songs to him, clearly relishing their time together. As I passed a storefront on the street, I noticed that the display window was empty, except for a chair and a 1-year old. He looked at me - I looked at him and smiled - he smiled back and laughed at his new friend. The language of babies is universal.

And while walking home, a mother answered the cellphone ringing in her pocket, then handed it to her little boy, who proceeded to have an extremely loud conversation with somebody (real or imaginary, I couldn't guess). It was clear to me that the child was operating on the quite logical principle that if someone is standing far away from you, you need to shout at them in order to be heard - right? So if the person on the other end of the phone is standing in, say, another part of town altogether, then naturally you must use all the vocal volume you can muster if you want them to hear you.

His mother smiled and indulged him. I'm so glad she did.