Un-Swiss

So today Sam pulled the ultimate un-Swiss behavior on me. It was raining on and off all day and so we were all crabby to begin with, however.... I took the kids for a walk after Ben's nap. We stopped at one of the playgrounds near our apartment. It wasn't a destination, it was just on the path we happened to be on. I didn't really want to stop because everything was wet and I didn't feel like dealing with Ben getting filthy. I told Zoe and Sam they could play for a few minutes while I just kept walking around with Ben in the stroller. So after reassuring Zoe a million times that I was walking to "there" and coming "right back" I left. I was never out of their sight, but about 2 minutes into my walk I hear Zoe screaming, turn to see them hitting each other. Big sigh. I turn around and head back, tell Sam to put his helmet back on (scootering), we're going home.
O.K.
Sam proceeds to start sreaming, crying, and trying to yell at me all at the same time. I couldn't understand a word he was saying, but I assumed that he was telling me he didn't want to go home. I tried to stay calm and ask him to calm down. "Sam if you want to stay a few minutes more you just need to ask mommy." Oh and by the way....it's now drizzling. Sam keeps screaming so I pick up his scooter and attempt to fold it up. (Damn thing won't fold for me, lovely). So he goes even crazier. I start walking away and tell Zoe to follow me.
Now mind you, we are not the only people out in the rain today, the Swiss are ALWAYS outside. The next thing that happens is that I get hit in the butt with an umbrella. At this point I think, "what would Dan do?" Not sure why my mind went there, but I pick up Sam, or should say try to pick up Sam, and drag him to a tree and sit him down for a time out. He is still screaming. Now he's mad because I'm trying to fold up the scooter...why won't this stupid thing fold?! I just resort to draping it over the stroller. Oh and Ben is now crying because in Sam's rampage Ben also got hit with the umbrella.
Eventually I get Sam to start walking and following us. He screams the entire 10 minutes home. A woman had the nerve to raise her eyebrows at me and it took all my patience not to say something sarcastic in my very best "American".
As we are approaching our door I see Sam's classmate Lena and her mother. They are Swiss and Sam desperately wants her to come over and play. I've been putting this off for no reason other then I feel stupid because my French still sucks. This woman is very nice and speaks English, but I'm in her country and feel that she shouldn't have to do that for me. Well as soon as Sam sees her he starts yelling at me some more because I didn't call Lena's mom. And I'm still not sure how to read the Swiss. There are all these stereo-types about them; that they are very guarded and it takes a very long time to become friends with them. I sense this is true. I'm not sure if this woman really wants to endure this either, but in the end they are coming over tomorrow at 10:00. My mother-in-law is arriving between 2:20 and 3:30, depending on which train she catches from Zurich. My house is a mess. Why am I doing this for a boy who humilated me in public, several times? I guess because I'm a mom and that's what moms do.
By the way, the scooter and helmet are locked down in the storage cage until Dad comes home from Paris. HA....I still don't feel like I won....