Her grandmother holds several objects close to her bosom as they make their way to the front of the store.

Serenity asks for a balloon.

Grandmother asks, do you want the balloon or the play-doh?

Play-doh, Serenity replies.

Behind them in line, I ask if I can buy her the balloon?  (In honor of some young women I love who used to be the Serenities of the world, all grownup now.)

Serenity’s grandmother agrees.

Yet after briefly snagging a balloon, Serenity puts it back.

You don’t want it? 

No, she replies, we are going to the park and it will fly away.

We inventory other possibilities–a two-headed dragon?

Nope. One too many heads.

A bag of plastic dinos?  Yes but only this one, and this one, and this one.

So efficient, young Serenity. I give her 30 cents worth of plastic.

She gives me joy.