Last Wednesday I went to Smithfield Implement to pick up a Camp Chef for my dad – they were having a sale.

The store opened at 9:00 a.m. Not knowing how many they would still have available, and recognizing that I had other commitments that would tie me up most of the rest of the day, I decided to get there right when they opened.

Bridget and I pulled into the parking lot at 2 minutes to 9:00. The doors were just being unlocked as we approached them.

An elderly man, presumably the store manager, greeted us. As Bridget took the first steps into the store that morning he announced, “You’re the first customer – that means you get a prize.”

She just grinned. I didn’t think much more of it, and we went about our shopping.

On the way out of the store the same elderly man approached us. The conversation went something like this:

Man: Did you get your prize?
Bridget: No, I didn’t.
Tina: Seriously? I didn’t know you did that.
Man: We don’t. But today we do.
Tina: (polite smile)
Man: Do you think she’d want a bag?
Tina: A bag?
Man: Like this one. (holding up a canvas polka dotted bag)
Tina: Maybe, she loves purses.
Man: Or would she rather just have some gum.
Tina: You’d have to ask her.
Man: (to Bridget) Would like this bag?
Bridget: Yes, I would.
Tina: What do you say to the man?
Bridget: Thank you very much.
Man: You’re sure welcome.

As Bridget stood admiring her new “purse” in the checkout line the man returned and dropped a package of gum into the bag.

Man: You’ll need something to carry in that purse.
Bridget: That man gave me gum.
Tina: Say thank you.
Bridget: Thanks! (waving)

She spent the next 5 minutes in line asking me over and over if she could have some of her gum. Once we got in the car I helped her open the package and she and I shared a piece. She held onto the package all the way home. In the car we had the following conversation.

Bridget: That was so nice. That man gave me gum.
Tina: Yes, that was nice.
Bridget: I’m going to keep it in my room.
Tina: No. You’re going to keep it in the cupboard in the kitchen.
Bridget: I’ll keep it in my kitchen. I’ll put it in the fridge.
Tina: No, in the real kitchen.
Bridget: My kitchen is a real kitchen.
Tina: Ok, let’s try this again. Does mommy keep gum in her room?
Bridget: No.
Tina: That’s right. Gum doesn’t belong in our rooms – we need to keep it in the cupboard in the kitchen with the other gum.
Bridget: Oh. ok.

I was both surprised and impressed that that logic worked. But glad that it did. I’m also glad that she didn’t point out the fact that I sometimes carry gum in my purse – or she probably would have been trying to do the same with hers.

Anyway, here are a couple of pictures of Bridget with her loot from the morning.
The sucker is from the bank. We went there on the way home that morning.

It wasn’t until we were home and I started to take these pictures that I noticed the price tag on the bag. $10.95… Wow. More of a prize than I would have guessed. Funny, because Bridget would have been just as impressed with a sticker or a tootsie roll as a prize.

The bag is cute, and pretty well made. I think we’ll use it as her church bag from now on. Thanks Smithfield Implement guy! You were very kind.