Image: Else Berg
“Don’t you ever think he might be lonely sitting there all day?” asked Ellie to her friend May.
May looked across at her son Marcus sitting in his play pen pulling on the ears of his fluffy rabbit.
“Goodness no,” replied May. “Marcus is only a baby and has everything in his pen to stimulate him and assist in his growth. He’s doing fine.”
May pulled another cup of tea as Ellie continued to look at the child who to her reckoning was frustrated and bored out of his mind.
“Why only last week, “continued May. “I was reading that over stimulating your kid can take away their independence and I would never want that of my child,” she said looking fondly at Marcus who continued to pull on the rabbit’s ears.
Marcus was not a demanding child. He rarely cried and he sat in his pen day in day out from whenever it was he first remembered anything. That was his world, is refuge where he felt safe. Even when you picked him up he was quiet for a few moments but soon started to pull towards the safety of his play pen.
His mother had stocked it with every imaginable soft toy. He was in so many ways the perfect baby. May would brag to anyone who’d listen about her child who was no trouble, ate what was fed to him and slept through the night.
Ellie had seen enough of May and Marcus in action to fear that at a young age Marcus was already institutionalized. He was for the most part left to his own devices. May didn’t chat with him as she’d argue he found his own level of stimulation within the play pen.
May of course loved the child she had created. It allowed her to pursue her own likes and desires. The television was always on and Marcus could see the images across the room. When May watched her soaps so did Marcus. What May was never aware of was that Marcus took everything in.
Ellie was very aware that Marcus was a smart child. She could see in his eyes that he craved more than he was given but when she spoke with him May would often cut her off if Marcus looked half interested. The little boy would look away and once again pull on his rabbit’s ears.
Written for: https://janedougherty.wordpress.com/2016/07/22/microfiction-challenge-6the-child/
Morpethroad 
Are you going to continue this one? It sounds as thought there’s a lot more to come.
Maybe, I shall see….my trouble is remembering next week what I did this week. If the next image is as interesting then my mind will probably go off on its own idea….I think it’s called a short attention span…
I write mine in the same file, otherwise I’d forget too. It’s called trying to do too many things at once 🙂
Or in my case a scatter brain…😀😀
A sad little scene, Michael, and very nicely written. I imagine there are quite a few babies like Marcus, left to amuse themselves for hours on end while Mum gets on with whatever she wants. Marcus is obviously desperate to feel wanted and be part of what’s going on outside his pen.
Thank you Millie. Hope you are keeping well.
Thanks Michael, I am fine – hope you are, too. Good to see you’re still doing so many challenges. 🙂
Thanks Millie well writing does keep me from wandering the streets. And it’s fun.
That is SO sad, but I can see how it could be a story that could lead on.
Thank you Jen…early start today?
Not of my own doing, mum phone at 11 last night. Pop saying he thinks his time is up. I got to sleep finally at 1.30. She phoned at 3.15 crying, so I’ve been in here since 4. They are sleeping on and off. Pop seems to be ok, but naturally I had to get in here.
Hmm hang in there Jen….tough times…
Yup.. I’m trying..just a wee bit exhausted
Oh! Poor child. A kid of his age needs to go out and play, so that he could see the beauty of Nature.
Please continue the story… 🙂
Thank you for the encouragement…..much appreciated…
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Poor little boy!
I hope you continue the story, too.
He definitely needs a rescue! I hope it comes…(K)