Friendly little girl wanted chocolate from me

I was walking near (deleted) station (Kanagawa) and there was a girl on the sidewalk blowing bubbles and talking to everyone passing by. I ignored her at first but she came up to me while I was waiting at the train tracks and started talking to me in English. She asked where I was from and told me that she was Nepalese and goes to Nepal school where she learns English, and that she was 12 years old. We made small talk because she kept following me but after a few blocks I was like “I don’t want to look like I’m kidnapping you–where are your parents?” She didn’t seem to understand the word “kidnap” but since she had been talking about how much she liked chocolate I changed the subject and asked if she wanted some chocolate. She eagerly asked if I had some. I said no but I would get her some. I went into the combini telling her to wait outside (something about going in together felt icky) and bought her a chocolate bar. Then she thanked me and went away!?

Okay so is this a thing? This has never happened to me in my entire life and I am just confused as to what happened. Has anyone had a similar experience? I didn’t mind getting her some chocolate because she seemed really happy when I gave it to her. I told her that she needs to be more careful though. I am nice but there are mean and dangerous people out there. I don’t have children so I don’t know what children are doing these days. Japanese kids don’t do this and I don’t have any experience with Nepali kids.

Does anyone have any insight?

10 comments
  1. If I recall correctly, this is a Nepali tradition where… Tourists in Nepal are asked to give chocolates from overseas because the chocolate tastes better. Upon hiking up to the Himalayas, you will find mountain roads littered with chocolate wrappings. Cute.

  2. I’m sure your intentions were in the right place, but if I were her father I think I would be, at the very least, uncomfortable with an unknown adult buying anything for her, regardless of whether she had asked for it or not.

  3. Don’t encourage her to accept candy from strangers by being a nice stranger who gave her candy. that action, more than your words, is what will stay with her.

    I have had little children follow me and ask me for candy (in other countries) and I would never, ever do it.

  4. That’s weird. That’s not how regular children act.
    Maybe you should edit this post a little to remove the station name. There *are* a lot of weirdos around after all.

    I wouldn’t have bought them anything. Maybe just a curt goodbye and walk off if anything like that happens again but don’t think too much of it.

  5. She wanted free stuff. You gave her free stuff. She went away.

    There isn’t much more to this story.

  6. It seems to me that a 12 year old is not a child enough to beg others for chocolate.

  7. You seem like a nice guy and I would like to encourage you to become active in her life for her safety and need for attention.

    But I can’t do that because I know the morons of this world will assume the worst with demonic glee and the result is she is now guaranteed to meet one of the worst people out there and have no protection….and you would get trouble for being a good person.

    And when she meets that awful person, once again the morons of the world will absolutely love it. Oh they will feign shock and horror if it makes the news, but deep down inside they will be thrilled….another exciting bit of news to make their day.

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