Whatever the reason, you won't know for sure unless you take a neighborly walk across the yard, reintroduce yourself, and ask your fellow mom what's up. There's no need to get in her face or be intimidated by the conversation at hand; just talk straight and plain about your concern. Say something like, "My son was upset the other day because he was told your daughter didn't want to play with him, and I was hoping you could clarify what happened." Then see what she says, and take it from there. Obviously, if the woman says she doesn't want to be bothered with you or your son, haul yourself on out of there. But if she says it was a misunderstanding and gives you a reasonable explanation for why she sent your son packing, cut her some slack.

The point here is that it's never healthy to sit and stew over things like this. While you're off mad somewhere, the people who got you hot and bothered are usually just living their lives, completely unaware that you're upset with them. I've found that being direct with folks, without being overly emotional about it, goes a long way in helping me see where people stand, and certainly letting others get real clear about how I see things, so that we can all move on from there. This, for sure, helps keep my blood pressure down.

If after you talk to your neighbor, you still have a sour taste in your mouth, know this: You can't pick your neighbors, but you can pick your child's friends. Take his hand into yours and introduce yourself to other kid-friendly families in your neighborhood who are happy to play with "all kids." Who knows? Some long-lasting friendships for you and your son might be just a few more doors down.