So after last week’s skating lesson I saw Six again.

Six: [skating up to me] Hey, you’re wearing hockey skates! I’m wearing hockey skates, too.

Me: Yes, I think I met you last week. Tootoo is your favorite player, right?

Six: Yup! [skates off]

5 minutes later….

Six: [skating up to me again] Do you want to be my goalie?

Me: Um, sure! Do you have a puck?

Six: [shakes head]

Me: Oh, so I’m your imaginary goalie. Okay, I can do that.

Six proceeds to tell me to go to the crease. He then informs me that we are on the same team, so my main job is to watch him skate down to the other end of the ice, watch him score a goal against the other team’s invisible goalie, and then cheer. Occasionally I have to pretend that I’m saving pucks shot by the opposing team.

After a few minutes of this, I wonder where Six’s parents are and what they think of him playing with some strange adult.

Me: Hey, do you have a mom or dad or someone here with you? I think they might like to know who you are talking to. They might not want you talking to a stranger.

Six: Okay. [Takes me to his mom, who is sitting in the bleachers]

Six: [pointing to me] Mom, do you know why she is following me?

(Oh, great, now I really sound like a weirdo.)

Six: She said she wanted to meet you!

Me: Um, hi. Your son said he wanted me to be his pretend goalie, but I said I needed to meet you since you might not want him talking to strangers. So hi, I’m Christy.

Mom: Hi! I’m Mom, and this is Six. [smiles]

So apparently I avoided being arrested for kidnapping on that particular day, anyway.

But seriously, to you parents reading out there — do you have a rule about not talking to strangers? I can’t tell you how many children have started conversations with me at the rink with no parent in sight. It’s uncomfortable for me, but it could be dangerous for your children. I’m glad these kids are so kind and friendly, but please, make sure they are safe, too!