mittens on a string / living in a big city.

You know the mittens that are attached with a string? Kids wear them threaded through their coat sleeves so they don't lose them? We did a paper version as a craft with our students today and it made me remember that I asked my Nan to knit me a pair when I was in university.  

Nan: "You mean like little kids wear?" 

Me: "Yes, but bigger, obviously. They'll be so cool!"

Nan: "The other kids will make fun of you!"

Me: "No they won't, Nan; I'm in university." 

Nan: "Exactly."

Me: "No one will make fun of me. And if they do, I don't care. I really want mittens on a string. Pleeease?"

Nan: "Okay, fine. But when the other kids tease you, don't come crying to me." 

This version of the conversation is much shorter than it actually was. I had to really beg my Nan for a long time to knit those mittens. I just don't know if it was because she didn't feel like knitting mittens on a string, or if she was really that worried about "kids" teasing me. 

Anyway, she knit the mittens (using multi-coloured yarn) and I wore them proudly. I did get some strange looks, maybe some comments as well, I don't remember, but most people thought they were awesome. Unfortunately, I've moved a few times since then, and I ended up losing them. Sad day. Do you think I could convince her to knit me another pair? 

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In other news, I crossed a busy intersection today before the Chinese people did!* I think that means I'm getting good at living in a big city! Except that when I went for a walk on my lunch break, a woman stopped in front of me with her scooter, looked right at me, and pulled a black thing out of her pocket. My heart stopped for a second and I began to panic, until I realized that it was an iPhone, not a gun.** So... maybe not so good at living in a big city after all.

*When I first moved here, I'd wait for them to start walking across so I knew when it was safe.

**But it made me think... what would I do if it was a gun? And then it made me think of the episode of Family Matters when one of Laura's friends gets shot because she won't give a girl her sneakers. Do you remember that show?