other kids - exhibit A) the toxic loner

I've written before about my love/hate relationship with parks. Lately, we've been going to smaller, out-of-the-way parks and they are almost always empty. I love empty parks. But I will admit that I've found myself occasionally wishing for a few more kids. My boys love to run around with each other and play but they will be much more engaged in the park if other kids are there. They are less apt to come to me five minutes in and complain of being thirsty or tired.
So last Friday, I thought I would head to one of the big parks, hoping for a few kids to be there. I should have known that I would once again stumble upon a park that was in use by some sort of camp. There were kids everywhere. I was feeling leery of the whole thing but thought I would give it a try. The boys played well together and Caia was enjoying the baby swing. Overall, a good morning. And then the interactions with other children began and our good day took a turn.
The first was with a boy who was around the same age as my boys, three or four. I had noticed him earlier in the day when he ran up to the tire swing and climbed onto it despite the fact that another boy was already on it. His grandmother was tagging along and quietly told him that he needed to wait his turn but the other boy had already jumped off and said it was okay. He was on the tire swing for a few minutes and when he got down he wandered over towards where I was sitting on a blanket with Caia. The boys were right in front of me picking up rocks and when he walked over he said, "Get away from me," to them. His grandmother didn't hear him but I did. And, thankfully Jem and Truett just ignored him. He walked closer to them and, without even looking at them, said, "I don't want you near me. Get away from me." That time Grandma heard and gently scolded him for speaking that way to someone.
I had already decided that I didn't really want my boys near him so I asked them if they'd like to ride on the tire swing. As they started to climb on I saw the little boy turn towards us and start to run towards the tire swing. And in my head I was thinking, "Are you kidding me right now? There is no way I'm letting you on this swing with my kids after you just told them to get away from you." Thankfully, Grandma stopped him and told him that it wasn't his turn so I didn't have to be the horrible lady who doesn't put a kid on the tire swing. (I got to be that lady later but that is tomorrow's post) She walked away with him and he found someone else to be mean to.
Later, I watched as she dragged him out of the park by his arm while he kicked and screamed. I wasn't sorry to see him go.