Blue Kangaroo Number 2

One chilly damp day about four years ago, we were out shopping in with Grandma, and the Curly-headed girl suddenly (it always happens that way) found herself in desperate need of a bathroom. We ducked into the Blue Kangaroo. It must have left quite the impression, because she's been talking about it ever since. I think she found her life's aspiration that day. She wants to own a bookstore of her very own.

So...I just about knocked five people down in my rush to get to this: 

 

It was perfect for her. She's not even griping about the math! Now she owns her own bookstore and takes orders from anyone who will play. She set it up in the living room and had her grand opening yesterday.

Mr. Eschateau and his daughter, Isabella both bought books. By the time we tallied up all the purchases from our customers, the inventory was insufficient. We had to order more.

Who Thinks Up These Things?

We were thinking summer today…the weather was way too nice for this time of the year. The curly-headed girl is ALWAYS asking me, “If I do this, will it count for school?” Today, she asked about a lemonade stand.

Who am I to stand in the way of learning and progress?

They mixed up some truly awful Kool-Aid type drink and threw in a sliced up lemon for good measure. They called their dad to have him deliver paper cups. They made wildly colored signs and figured out how to set up the table. Then they ran into a snag:

“Mom, there’s not enough traffic here.” (True.)

“We could go to Gramma’s house!” (You should ask first.)

“Yeah, let’s take our roller blades!”

The dirty little secret was out. They weren’t so much interested in learning first hand about supply and demand. They just wanted to go put Gramma and Grampa’s new cement driveway to the use for which it was obviously intended. So we packed everything up in the van and drove to their house.

To give them credit, they did set up the table and tape the signs to it. They tried not to let roller-blades that were already on their feet distract them from potential customers. When a car drove by, they zoomed back down the driveway to wave wildly and flap a sign at whoever happened to be driving it. But traffic was slim and the weather was only marginally fit for a cold glass of lemonade at best. Even the guys roofing across the street weren't tempted. Things were looking rather grim.

Then a car stopped at the end of the block and turned around. A little gray-haired lady stepped out and ordered a glass of lemonade for twenty-five cents. She paid for it with two quarters, thanked the girls and drove away. The girls were thrilled. Someone appreciated their effort. Their dejection was forgotten in an instant.

That one glass of lemonade and the kindness of a stranger made all the difference in the world.