Sunday’s “06880” post about the prevalence of poop in parks prodded people to pass along their own pet peeves.
Several commenters noted that the beach is particularly notorious for folks not scooping up after Fido.
That afternoon, I was at Compo. A woman told me her own poopy story. But hers had nothing to do with people.
This summer, she watched as a mother attempted to change her baby’s diaper, near the water. “It must have been the nanny’s day off,” the woman said. “She had no idea what she was doing. She went through an entire box of wipes.”
Finally finished, the mother placed the used diaper under a beach chair. Without a bag.
Compo Beach, where all things are possible.
A bit later, the mother packed up her kids and beach gear. Leaving the diaper right there on the sand.
The woman telling the story walked over. Pointing to the dirty diaper, she said, “I think you forgot something.”
The mother pointed vaguely in the direction of two Parks & Rec workers, emptying garbage cans.
“No,” the woman said. “That’s yours. You pick it up.”
But she’s not the only person whose brain gets addled by the sun.
A few minutes later, a friend who lives on Soundview told me her own tale.
At least twice, she said, she’s had to take care of children whose parents have gone home after a day at the beach.
Leaving their little kids behind.
Have you seen my mommy?