Strangers and Candy

We had an encounter with an elderly gentleman today that served as a reminder on the importance of teaching Zoe about strangers. Zoe and I were walking into Nijiya to get lunch when we passed this elderly man sitting outside on the table. He smiled at Zoe with such delight we could only smile back. This old man was no longer there when we came back out with our own lunch. But he showed up before long and made eye contact, and then proceeded to sit down a short distance away from us. I got the feeling that he was going to offer Zoe something to drink (he was opening one for himself) and decided not to. All that time, he was watching Zoe the way a grandfather watches a grandchild, with a beaming smile. Then, he got up and we waved goodbye. I saw him push his shopping cart away into the parking lot. But he returned with the cart and went into the store again. This time he came out and pushed the cart straight to us and proceeded to offer Zoe a piece of candy. What can I say? I didn't want to outright rebuff him - he is probably just lonely and wistful for a grandchild. But I also wasn't comfortable with Zoe taking candies from stranger. I nodded my head and Zoe took it. The old man said he would have one himself. And Zoe wanted her candy right then. So I opened it for her. He smiled and then seemed to go away only to return to try to offer her another one. I shook my head and used the excuse of "limiting her sugar." He replied "oh, at this age, it is ok!" He offered the second time and Zoe took it. Sigh! Quite naturally, I had her say thank you and could not wait till he was out of ear shot to explain to her that she must never, never take candies from strangers when mama and papa are not around. And also that she must never follow strangers just because they offer candies. She must always stick close to mama and papa! What a conundrum! I don't want to freak her out. I would like for her to feel free to wave hi to people she meets on the street, but I also want her to have a healthy skepticism of strangers and never to succumb to offers of candy. I'm going to have to talk to her again about the appropriate behavior towards strangers. Anyhow, I was so anxious to get out of there - the old man was hovering about us the whole hour we were there - that I skipped shopping at Nijiya after lunch.