Kristi

About 8PM last night I was inspired to go to the store to buy my kids a toy for their Easter Baskets. It was either Wal-Mart or Target, and I needed oil for the lawn mower as well, so I went to Wal-Mart. I despise Wal-mart for so many reasons, and rarely set foot in the place, but it was one of two choices that were open and well…I went.

It was crowded. I found what I needed and got in line. A long line. A line in which I was fortunate enough to be in because you see, Kristi was in a cart in front of me. Kristi was four years old. Brown skin. Huge eyes. Braids. Round cheeks. Pink frayed tutu over her sweat pants. She batted her long lashes at me for five seconds and then decided I was a friend and after that she never stopped talking. I was in line for at least 20 minutes.

Kristi, showed me her new glow ring. She introduced her brother, who was five. She grabbed a battery operated hand sized fan, (which also had candy in it) off the impulse buy check out rack and fanned herself, then fanned me, and asked, “How do you like it?”

She looked at the gender specific toys in my hand. “You got a girl and a boy?” she asked. I told her I did.

“Just like us,” she said, nodding at her brother.

“The Easter bunny be coming to my house tonight,” she said, wiggling with joy in her seat, eyebrows lifted in anticipation.

Her brother pulled some spicy potato chips off a rack and asked if she wanted some. She said, and I quote, “I don’t want no spicy chips. If I did want spicy chips, I’d say it. But I’m not saying it, because I don’t want spicy chips. If I did want spicy chips, I’d be having some spicy chips. I don’t like spice.”

Her lips were covered in glitter, and I told her I liked her glittery lipstick.

She looked at me incredulously, “Girl, please. I am not old enough to wear lipstick. It is lip balm. And I got it for Christmas from Santa.”

Then earnestly, she lowered her eyes and said, “I just wish Santa had given you some. I really do.”

She fanned herself, held the fan out to her brother, and when he tried to reach it she pulled it back. She looked at me slyly and grinned. Her harried mother kept pushing the cart forward, herding the brother back into line.

During lulls in the conversation she sang, “God is goooood. God is goooood.” Sounds like God is Guuuuhd.

At the check out, Kristi took advantage of the opportunity where her mother was distracted and began to bargain about how many TV shows they could watch before bed when they got home. Mom said one. Kristi said two.

I’m betting they got two.

I’m betting Kristi is having a happy Easter. She seems to take the happy with her.

May she always.