Out of the mouths of babes

Yesterday, though I was in an emotional funk, recovering from a state of mental numbness brought about by the week’s events, I had the wherewithal to go to the grocery store for a few items.

Walking down one aisle to search for an item, I passed by and stood near a young couple with two equally young children, the elder a girl. I suppose the children were aged perhaps no more than 5 and 3.

Having found their goods, the family foursome walked to the end of the aisle near the end caps and paused briefly to discuss something among themselves. Having my item also in hand, I turned and walked in their direction, and around them, their bascart, and the floor displays that formed a virtual grocery store obstacle course.

The little boy, oblivious to his kneecap-to -eyeball perspective, immediately darted in front of me, and I instinctively reached out my hand for his straight brown-haired little head to keep him from running headlong into me. I smiled and looked at the parents as I kept walking.

A few steps away, I paused briefly to orient myself to the store, and overheard something that I supposed was the parents’ giving their permission to the children to each pick out an item.

The elder girl, apparently already a stickler for the rules, made a startling, yet matter-of-fact announcer-like exclamation as her little brother made a bee-line toward a free-standing floor display, whereupon he paused, almost reverently, amidst his visible excitement.

“He’s going right for the cookies!”

Upon hearing her, I couldn’t help but chuckle, and shared her cute remark with the store manager standing nearby.

As I thought about what I’d seen and heard, I thought about how as a child, I too headed straight for the cookies, and almost always had dessert FIRST, after my mother learned that what I said was true, that it did NOT spoil my appetite, but rather was my appetizer.

As adults, I wonder perhaps if we might be better off if we went “right for the cookies!”