6/5/2006
As I’ve mentioned before, my wife and I have two girls, ages three and six. On the weekends, my favorite thing to do is just about anything family related. We hang out, go to nearby parks, go to the mall, whatever.
On Saturday, I spent most of the day with the girls so that Julie could get some things done around the house in preparation for an Open House we held on Sunday. We are hoping to sell our home and move into a slightly larger one, but that is another story.
So, anyway, one of my errands on Saturday included the grocery store. The girls almost always go with me on these trips, and they are usually pretty-well behaved.
This past Saturday, they did pretty well too. Except for the fact that my oldest, Mikaela, really wanted a sample of american cheese from the deli counter. Whenever we go to the counter and order deli meats or cheese, or anything, the people behind the counter will give out individual slices to the children. My girls love that kind of stuff.
But we weren’t going to the counter that day and, when Mikaela asked for some cheese from the deli, I said, “honey, we’re not going there today so we can’t ask.” This, of course, was unacceptable.
“Please Dad! I really want some cheese!” “Sorry, nope.” Was my reply. And this continued for about 10 minutes until Mikaela saw that I meant it and wasn’t going to be pressed or whined into changing my mind.
So, next thing I know, Mikaela hands me a little sheet from one of her doodle pads. “Here,” she tells me gravely, “you need to keep this forever and ever.”
I stopped pushing the cart — both girls were riding in the cart at the time — and looked at the paper. The side that was facing up had a Snow White sticker on it. “Thanks honey,” I said, “this is nice.” “Turn it over,” she told me solemnly, so I did.
I saw two squares on the sheet, with two lines crossing, then, underneath, a blurry circle with what might be the word “no” inside. Just so you know, while I was looking at this, I was taking a sip of my coffee. I couldn’t figure out what it was.
I looked up puzzled. She told me “it’s two pieces of cheese with an x through it, she told me sadly.”
I nearly spit out my coffee. I was trying hard not to laugh, and harder not to choke on my coffee, much less spit it out all over bags of bread in the bread aisle.
Mikaela saw that I was trying not to laugh and gave me a sheepish smile. I managed to swallow the coffee, wipe the big grin off my face and said, “oh, I cannot wait to show this to your Mom.”
I still have the little sheet of paper with me, sitting in my wallet behind a couple of family photos. I’m going to keep it forever and ever, as ordered.
Maybe I’ll give it back, God willing, someday when she graduates from college. I might even include a couple slices of cheese from the deli counter! 
2 Comments
That is so cute! I still have some papers on the icebox from my youngest son, and he is 17. It is so precious when kids do that kind of stuff. Treasures, every one.
Comment by luvneeyore — 6/8/2006 @ 5:44 pm
[…] I hear how fulfilling work is, and it is. But, throughout my entire life, nothing has been more fulfilling than holding my children in my arms, or seeing them sleeping peacefully at night, or even just doing mundane things with them, like going to the grocery store. […]
Pingback by Viewpoint Journal » Paul Mirengoff Comments on Hirshman Article — 6/19/2006 @ 7:58 am