He told me"everbody make mistake maam we're human beans"
@Hatley (163776)
Garden Grove, California
July 4, 2011 12:43pm CST
I was really upset withmyself one day for arguing with the clerk over mywlmart bill. AS the clerk was right, the bill was added up right bu t
my math was off.I said to the clerk "I am so sorry, my maths just awful"
I felt a tug on my skirt.this little guy looked up at me and said "everbody
make mistake ma'am .we're human beans." We all laughed at that and he scowled and went back to his mom I guess. but I was thinking how smart he was for a boy his age. Really we all do make errors and most of them are just because we are a human "beans".he meant beings I am sure but words of wisdom from a nine to ten year old boy. wow. your take mylotters.
16 people like this
45 responses
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
4 Jul 11
That made me chuckle Hatley.. thanks so much for the laugh. I needed it just now. That little boy is right, and someone in his life must have taught him those words of wisdom. Out of the mouths of babes. ![](/Content/images/emotes/happy.gif)
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
4 Jul 11
pointless questions hi yes it was so funny as it was just plain logic. He might have spelled wrong but he got the message right.I have always been so bad in doing math on foot. I have to sit down and write it out, ant here I was badmouthing the poor clerk when all the time I was wrong. I felt so bad as it was not like me to harass a clerk like that. I apologized
and the little fellow told me I was just a human bean and we all make mistakes. I really think his grandparents might havre taught him that.![](/Content/images/emotes/thumbup.gif)
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
5 Jul 11
Devilova no I think really that everyone was said to make me not feel so embarrassed and humiliated in public for yelling at anyone. Can is sort of vague but everybody is sharp and look maybe you do not like the idea but God sees us as humans who all do make mistakes. can to me still does not take awayh that awful public humiliation feelings. the little guy probably had also made a mistake and his mom had help[ed him to feel better by everybody makes mistakes as we are all humam beings.
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Jul 11
hi devilova nope I am pretty even tempered and am glad as
I used to have a guick temper but never with small children
as I always am kind to them.
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@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
5 Jul 11
Awwww what a precious little boy! He's a wise young man beyond his young years. It's obvious that his parents are teaching him the right way of things. That is really remarkable in this day in age. Bless you Hatley for being honest and apologizing for being wrong. Not everybody is like that but I sure am! I wasn't in my young years because I would be too embarassed but I found it to be much easier to handle to admit the truth and apologize because most of the time it smooths things over. I say most of the time because it doesn't work with everybody but hey, if you do try, at least you tried.... if that makes any sense.
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@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
7 Jul 11
That is really cute 'human beans' LOL I used to joke around with my Chihuahua Peanut when I was giving him a bath and talk as if he were saying "Hey momma, I'm a dog! I'm not a human bean! I'm supposed to smell like a dog! Not like a human bean!" Oh Peanut would get all silly with me but with sad eyes as if to say, "yeah right now can I get out?"
That little boy knew you two were uncomfortable. That's why he chimed in, to break the ice between you two even though he didn't realize that that's what he was doing and in doing so, he smoothed things over. When he grows up, he'll realize that you two weren't laughing at him but with him and feel better. ![](/Content/images/emotes/thumbup.gif)
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Jul 11
hi catsanddogs I just hope he keeps that same attitude when hes older and I was so grateful to him that day as we were both sort of humiliated and I was really trying to apologize to her, me the older one and her maybe twenty five or so. so we laughed then and both decided to forgive each other and go about our business again.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
7 Jul 11
yes cats I also used to embarrass so easily but now I just realized I had yelled at her for my error and she was so much younger than i was. Igelt bad and had to make it right,then the little guy chimed in and showed us both how silly we had acted. when we laughed it was not at
him at all but at us just waking up to we all make errors cause we are human beans. lol lol loll![](/Content/images/emotes/lol.gif)
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@jazel_juan (15747)
• Philippines
4 Jul 11
Children often times can see it clearer i believe
i also have this moments with my children.. ![](/Content/images/emotes/whistle.gif)
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
5 Jul 11
hi jazel__juan oh definitely they see the basic s without any stuff added on. My own son has taught me to be a really good listener., He must have been 19 but he came to me with something he felt he needed to tell me.
I was doing my checkbook balancing while I was also listening. He suddenly grabbed my checkbook"Mom please just listen to me as I need you to hear me. do that later." I then gave him my full attention and I realized how a lot of us are guilty of only half listening to our children when we are really being down right rude,.So since then my son is now 52 and if I act like I am not paying complete attention He will again say,"mom give me all your attention." then he will tell me what he needed
to talk to me about. I find now I am such a good listener several people here use me as some sort of guru which flusters me as I am not all that good but it pays dividends as I make friends that way . lol.![](/Content/images/emotes/happy.gif)
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@jazel_juan (15747)
• Philippines
5 Jul 11
Yes the ART of Listening.. my children also often teach me this.. whenever i get so busy with work and house stuff i tend to ignore them and they would insist on things and stuff..and there was a point where they would shout and say, mama listen first! and it was like..yes why not listen to them first since they are more important.. well often times the pressing thigns comes first than the precious things..but i learned my lesson on this a couple of times..![](/Content/images/emotes/lol.gif)
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
5 Jul 11
hi jazel__juan I think some of us get into something and justlose sight of the most important things are our children, was going to say kids
but my hubby used to reprimand me saying kids are baby goats. children honey. children. but truly they should come first the the pressign things but I think some of my problem was picked up from my own father. once he was into what he was doing nobody else mattered.and really thats just not right. I am glad I was not the only one. I have a habit of getting fu lly engrossed in whatever I am doing much to the consternation of friends here who cannot see my love affair with mylot. lol lol lol.
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@tigeraunt (6326)
• Philippines
16 Jul 11
hi hatley,
i say he is a really smart kid. getting in when the tension is high.
a real cool boy and the right time breaker so to say.
have a nice day.
ann![](/Content/images/emotes/happy.gif)
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
17 Jul 11
hi ann hope my comment does not sail off have been having the oddest thing of disappearing posts before I am ev en finished. lol.I think
that little g uy was raised around adults and a favorite grandmother
as he seemed taken by me and my grey hair and my total embarrassment. I
'an not really a fighter and hated myself for having lost my temper when i was not even in the right. so he was a real help as we had to laugh at each other, me an elderly lady and she a younger woman. but we agreed we'were just "human beans"
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@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
5 Jul 11
That's really cute Hatley.
Perhaps he really meant beans (hihihihi) to make you smile.![](/Content/images/emotes/niceday.gif)
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
5 Jul 11
hi beingwell he was cute and so earnest, tugging at my shirt and telling me in a way dont beat yourself u p as you are a' human bean and human beans do make errors" we laughed not at him but at the basic simple
]truth. as adults we tend to complicate things. I had apologized and she had accepted and even told me don't feel bad as we all made math errors.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Jul 11
hi beingwell yes i do wish I had followed him to meet his mom or grandmother, whoever he was with and congratulate them for such a smart young boy.
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
6 Jul 11
How sweet! He even took the effort to tug your shirt.hihihi... He's mom should be so proud!![](/Content/images/emotes/lol.gif)
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@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
5 Jul 11
This is some great words of wisdom anyone can learn from, and one worth remembering. There are many times I know I have gotten upset over something that has happened and in reality like you if you only stop and look at things everything seems to turn out ok. But we all do make mistakes, and we can all learn from them but to have this little boy there could have been the answer you were needing right then.
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
7 Jul 11
tina thats what was odd I felt so embarrassed and just then at the right moment that little boycame up,tugged on myshirt and said maam we are human beans, course he meant beings, and we all make mistakes. We did laugh but it was not at him but at us make such a todo over a simple
math error. We learned from that little guy and i will never fortet it.
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@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
10 Jul 11
Fancy one so young butting in and coming to your aid like that. Most kids would not even be aware of the slight discomfort you must have been feeling. That he noticed and came to attention to assure you that all was OK is truly admirable.
What a fine young man, he will probably become a great humanitarian when he is older.![](/Content/images/emotes/thumbup.gif)
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
12 Jul 11
mstickle hi I had the feeling as he seemed perfectly at ease with me and my grey hair he has a very beloved grandmother whom has helped teach him some basic truths. I wish I had followed him to meet his mom and tell her what a great little guy she had.he should be a great young man I think.
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@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
5 Jul 11
That boy was wise beyond his years. Too many times, we get dragged down the carpet and called a whole lot of names, told our character is so horrible, and that no one in the whole universe will love us because of that mistake. Oh by the way, my math is bad as well Even when I get something right, I do not believe it.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
5 Jul 11
ho suspenseful you and me both. I was so sure I was right then found I was not and had really yelled at the clerk when I was the one who was wrong. So I apologized when this little guy tugged at myshir,",maam we all make mistakes cause we are human beans." He was so sweet, so sincere and so right he startled us and we both laughed. He scowled and left and them I had wished we had not laughed as he thought we were just laughing
at him. He might not have beings right but he was one smart little boy and the basic truth made us laugh at its simplicity. Poor kid, he would not realize that the simple truth was what made us laugh.It was so unlike
me to yell at anyone that I felt so freankin stupid.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
5 Jul 11
Good morning Hatley, human beans, i love it. God bless little children. How kind he was to try to make u feel better.Enjoyed this discussion very much, thanks for sharing.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
5 Jul 11
hi antiquelady I love it too as it will stick with me. He must have got that from mom or dad, but ev en maybe a grandparent. to see I was feeling horrible then to soothe me with that truth that all human "beans['
make mistakes was so sweet and kind. I imagine he made a mistake and was feeling really bad about it and mom or dad or grandma soothed him by
telling him we are all humans and humans do make mistakes.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
5 Jul 11
alottodo love that user name as it fits a lot of us. lol.yes He was young
and innocent and just told the basic truths. relax, ma'am as all humans make errors.He was wise beyond his years and had no fears in telling me a stranger not to fret as we all make errors. we laughed but not at him but at that simple truth.![](/Content/images/emotes/thumbup.gif)
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
7 Jul 11
hi aerous long time no see. yes it was human being I imagine but somehow
he misheard but he sure got the concept rigtht. I know I looked miserable as I was so embarrassed as I had actually yelled at the poor cashier. she did not desrve that and I did apologize to her. when we laughed it was not at the child but at ourselves being taught a basic truth that we are humans and humans do make mistakes so do not tear yourselves up. I wish I had followed him to meet his mom.![](/Content/images/emotes/cheering.gif)
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
7 Jul 11
Vandy you always sell yourself short.I see that you are much more intelligent than you think you are. He was a smart little boy but I
bet someone really smarter yet taught him that. we were amazed and we laughed not at him but at ourselves being tau ht by this little
guy the simple truth,we are all humans and humans do make errors. so forgive and forget. lol
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@ravisivan (14079)
• India
14 Jul 11
yes madam. You are 80+. At that age what you are doing is great. Many people are not comfortable with numbers in that age. U at least calculated and found mistake. U also recognise the boy's ability. good day.![](/Content/images/emotes/thumbup.gif)
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
14 Jul 11
hi ravisivan yep I am 84 oing on 85 and doing pretty good except for
a few aches and pains.lo. Yes I found it was my error and apolozied to the clerk while the little guy chimed in that we were human beans
and we all make mistakes. I think he has a grandmother whom he is close too as he was not timid to talk to me at all.I totally embarrassed and that child realized that and tried to help me .I will always remember him and that "beans". I did know what he meant though.
@betlynfrnds (4069)
• United States
7 Jul 11
Out of the mouths of babes.
Thank you for sharing that heartwarming and candid experience. We can all enjoy a good laugh and learn a valuable lesson. ![](/Content/images/emotes/thumbup.gif)
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
12 Jul 11
hi betlynfrnds yes indeed I think its because they have still got that innocense and trust we lose as we get older. We did enjoy laughing at ourselves and getting steamed up over four dollars. so silly and I apologized and she accepted and we laughed again.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
23 Jul 11
hi betlynfrnds me too and its sure a lot less stressful too.'and laughter always clears away stress too.would that more of life ended in laughter like that. but still we must be optimistic as that drwas the good in life towards us so I am told.
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@celticeagle (164045)
• Boise, Idaho
4 Jul 11
We have a coffee place here called the Human Bean. It is cute. I wonder who started it. Kids do say the darnest things don't they? Remember that Art Linkletter show? If we didn't make an error here or there what a boring place this Earth would be. Ugh! I can't bare to think of it.
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
4 Jul 11
hi celticeagle I think I have seen a coffee place in The Village,used to be mallof Orange.cute name too.. Yep I used to watch the Art Link
letter show as he got them to say such cute things and so true at times too.Yes indeed it would be a boring life if we never made an error.
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@changjiangzhibin89 (16686)
• China
5 Jul 11
You needn't reprove yourself too much.One cann't know everything,much less you has turned 80.How lovely the little boy is,He is simply a grown-up child.I wonder what attitude the clerk had.Whether he lost his temper or was amiable?
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
5 Jul 11
changjiangzhibin hi yes I realized that just beating myself up was fruitless as I had apologized and the clerk had accepted it, even telling me not to feel bad. A lot of people have problems with math.But his basic wisdom really startled and surprised
us. we laughed not at the child buit at the basic concept. we were both humans and humans do err so forgive your self and move on.![](/Content/images/emotes/thumbup.gif)
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@sjvg1976 (41239)
• Delhi, India
5 Jul 11
Hello Mrs Hatley,
That was so sweet sometimes kids really makes us laugh whole day.
But that was tremendous a boy of 9~10 yeras speaking like a mature person just slipped his tongue in saying "beings" & said "beans".
Dear Mrs Hatley you start keeping calculator along with you next time.![](/Content/images/emotes/rofl.gif)
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
5 Jul 11
sjvg yes indeed if I had had a calculator there would have been no problem. I do have one so just need to stick it in my handbag. that
hild was smart beyond his years and he seemed to feel I needed
soothing as I was totally embarrassed in public like that. I never
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@RBBantiles (347)
• Philippines
5 Jul 11
Innocent children sometimes exhibit what we adults call wisdom and insight. Actually it is their faculty of seeing things without blinkers. We adults have a lot of blinkers: our self-interests, prejudices, and fears. I think the world will be better off if there is a "Reverse School" or "Children-to-Adult School" where it is the children who teach and it is the adults who learn.
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
5 Jul 11
RBBantiles thats a wonderful idea children to adult school. the little
ones really have much to teach as we adults have let the basic truths get covered up with layers of other crap so its when we hear that truth from an innocent kid we marvel at not having seen that for ourselves. two women, one old,one young, and jawing at each other and both upset and the little boy gives us the basic key. WE were humans, and humans do err so
forgive, forget and move on.lol lol its so simple.
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@meyi_2011 (51)
• China
5 Jul 11
hehe, i really want to hug the boy, he wake u up and now u wake us up that we're human beans who can make mistakes. Nowadays, the competition become really fierce so that we are strict with ourselves not to make any mistakes. We all have high pressure abt work abt life everyday. There's a proverb: Dont fear u make mistake but fear u make again.
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@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
5 Jul 11
hi meyhio I also felt like hugging him and he woke both me and the clerk up to the basic truth, all human beans err and thats alright. learn from it an move on. don't beat yourself up. lol. wish we had not laughed as he thought we were laughing at him, not at his words of real wisdom.I should have followed him to his mom and told her what a great kid she had.
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