I wasn’t the only one with beverage challenges.
As we made our way around the small grounds, The Legumes and I would, from time to time, bump into one of the big kids. One of the times we connected with Christopher, he was holding a large cup with a frozen juice.
Earlier in the day my heart skipped a beat when I noticed a tent advertising Biggby Coffee. From a distance I saw the big machines that indicate frozen drinks and decided that, in the absence of a glass of wine, an iced coffee would certainly do. Sadly they were only serving a couple of iced juices. I considered them for a second, as we were all quite thirsty, but then heard the server requesting $3.00 from a customer which was double what a children’s lunch that included a juice box was priced at another tent. I steered the Legumes over there, where they split a hotdog and some chips. I opted for water, giving Eden my juice box so each girl could have her own. Both were more than satisfied. Christopher joined us and I gave him money to buy his own lunch. We all ate together in peace and contentment. Lydia, having filled up on a cupcake at the Cake Walk, requested only a bottle of water and chose to eat lunch when we got home.
I knew that Christopher had brought five of his very own, hard earned dollars. Although I also know that he is no saver, I was surprised that he had chosen to spend so much on a drink. I nodded at the cup and asked the obvious.
“You bought a juice?”
He sighed, “I reeeeeally wanted a water, but the lady at the tent said they didn’t have any and offered me a juice. I said, ‘Yes, please’ and then she told me that it would be THREE DOLLARS!” The sense of victimhood was palpable.
“Is it good?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I don’t like it. Do you want it?”
I took a sip. It was quite tasty. I thanked him and then offered him some of my water. While he drank I considered my options. Since I was going to drink the THREE DOLLAR juice, it occurred to me that I could bail him out and give him the money but an angel with a flaming sword, or common sense, stopped me and I decided this was, what those of us in the biz call, “a teachable moment.”
“I’m sorry, Buddy.” I paused, not wanting to lecture, but knowing that, with this child, I need to be overtly didactic. “What do you think you could have done differently?”
He didn’t know.
“Would you like to know what I do before I buy something?” A mute nod was my only encouragement. “I…ask…the…price.”
Who knew?
The Legumes were getting fractious so I spared him the entire homily on my own decision making regarding this particular drink and and invited him to join us at the gymnastics exhibit, but he had temporary tattoos in his sights. We parted soberly, as it was clear he was still in a lot of pain.
Turning away from us, he shook his fist at the sky and with a choked cry said, “Oh that swindling Biggby Coffee!”
Be warned.
He did NOT say “oh that swindling Biggby coffee!” Tell me you added that for dramatic effect to end such a great story! What child says such things??! Who thinks of the word “swindling” at his age?
Oh my, thanks for the chuckle!!!
That made me laugh out loud!
And I have no doubt that CRH said those words!
He did.
Readers are Leaders, Kim, as the reading program I worked for years ago used to say, and Christopher is certainly a leader when it comes to good stories.