The Pancho Peach

This is a story that's been a long time coming, but I can't keep it a secret any longer!  About a month ago, we were going to the Mary Jo Peckham Park in Katy for a friend in our playgroup's birthday.  We arrived a few minutes earlier than our friends.  I had brought along a large play gym for Sophia, and set it up with a blanket underneath so she could crawl around and cruise along it at the park.

We hadn't been there more than a few seconds when a woman walked up to us.  She was wearing a large mexican pancho, the kind you can buy in any border town.  It was white with black stripes.  She was pushing a Graco travel system stroller, holding a baby not more than 5 months old, with a little boy about 3 years old sitting in an infant carseat in the stroller.  Yes, the 3 year old was in the infant carseat. 

Pancho Mama says "Where did you get that?" I respond, "at a garage sale, it was like $15." And she says, "Can I buy it from you?" Blank stare. "Um, well I'm using it right now." "I know, but can I buy it from you, because I need something like that." "Well, I think I might be using it for a little while longer." "OK." Pancho Mama strolls off, pushing the stroller with the little boy now walking beside her.

More of our friends show up at the park, and Pancho Mama strolls up again, stands right by us, and laughs when everyone else laughs. Quite weird, but no big deal. Pancho Mama strolls off.

Someone takes out bubbles. Pancho Mama runs up, pushing the stroller. Stands right by us. Laughs when everyone else laughs. Pancho Mama strolls off.

I take out sidewalk chalk. Pancho Mama runs up, pushing the stroller. Stands right by us. Laughs when everyone else laughs. Pancho Mama strolls off.

We light the candles on the birthday cake. Pancho Mama runs up, pushing the stroller. Stands right by us. Sings when everyone else sings. Pancho Mama strolls off.

My girlfriend Debra and I are standing next to each other, and another friend Julia is sitting across the table. Pancho Mama runs up, and says to Debra, "Are you guys a moms group?" I look around, see Sammy on the slide, and run over, abandoning Debra to be accosted by Pancho Mama. Meanwhile, I slyly look back - you see, Pancho Mama has already randomly tried to buy something from me, and is acting quite weird. I'm not dealing with that - I can smell crazy from a mile away now, and I'm done with that!

I asked Debra to share with me the details of her conversation with Pancho Mama . . . Here's her side of the story!

Pancho Mama -  Hey are you guys a mom's group

Debra - Yes, we are

Pancho Mama -  Like mom's international?

Debra - No, like meetup.com (thinking there is no harm here b/c there are several katy area groups on there)

Pancho Mama -  Oh like what is your group name?

Debra - (starting to kinda panic in what to do/say) so I say really super fast katygroup

Pancho Mama - oh ok, are your dues high?

Debra -  not really? are you in a mom's group?

Pancho Mama - Good, I was in mom's international, but the dues were so high and all my friends moved away and now it is just me.

Debra - Oh, I am sorry.

Pancho Mama - That's ok. I just really need to find a new mom's group.

Debra - Yea, that's cool.

Meanwhile . . . Our friend Julia is watching the entire conversation.  She's witnessed me escape, she's witnessed Debra's dagger eyes to me, and she's witnessed Debra squirm now.  I think she's guilty by association - what do you think?

So, Pancho Mama remains but a memory for a while.  However, this past Friday, almost a month and a half since the last appearance of Pancho Mama, she showed up again.  We went to the same park, this time for my children's birthday playdate.  We hadn't been there longer than 30 minutes when Pancho Mama showed up again.  This time in a peach colored polo shirt.  No pancho.  But due to alliteration, she will henceforth be known as the Pancho Peach.

The Pancho Peach hung around our group the entire time she was there.  When anyone tried to engage her in conversation, she told us about her former mom's group.  She also would randomly walk up to people in the park and stand very close to them.  It's all a bit strange, and I'm not quite sure how to respond.  On the one hand, one of the reasons why our playgroup exists is to provide a support group for stay-at-home moms, as we all know what a tough road it can be sometimes.  However, on the other hand, the behavior is strange, and I'm pretty much done with wacko people. 

What do you think?  Where do we go from here?  What if the Pancho Peach arrives at that park again?  How do we handle this - help the Pancho Peach learn some social skills?  Or move on?

Thanks to Debra, my guest blogger for the day!  :)  Also, share comments of other park weirdos!  I'd love to know we're not the only ones with park stalkers!