Look both ways...

I was walking home from uni just now and there were two kids playing in an empty block next to the main road leading to the uni. I walked right through it and said hello as I passed. The two young boys, maybe aged 5 and 6, largely ignored me- there were no adults in sight. One was stuck as he had no shoes and there are bindis all through the grass. His brother (only slightly bigger) ran back to help him and with much difficulty lifted him up and carried him to the roadside (about three metres at a time).

I could see they were heading for the road and I asked them if they were ok to cross it. The older on looked at me disdainfully and said something like "its just cars".

I watched them for a minute and then kept walking.

I wonder if they had not been Aboriginal if I might have stayed and helped them..? I kind of accepted their independence without much worry.

Was this a cultural barrier I just ran into? If they were two such young Anglo kids I might have felt more worried? And more significantly I might have felt more responsible for little two kids far from home and with no parents around...?

I miss Ngukurr.