We went to Ben Franklin after going to the park today. As we are parking, Belle asks if she can go into the toy store that is next door. I tell her ok but it has to be brief as we are already out later than we’d promised Mommy. So we go in and do our shopping, Belle amusing the staff and shoppers as usual, then we go out and head for the toy store.
On the other side of the toy store is a New Age type bookstore and coffee shop. They have tables and chairs set outside so that one can sit outdoors and enjoy coffee. As we are approaching the stores, I see that the sidewalk in front where the chairs are is covered with writing and pictures done in chalk. I point this out to Belle & she wants to go see. So we do. There are three men, somewhere in their late 50’s give or take, sitting in the chairs out front. Belle sees a bin with chalk in it and starts to help herself. I haven’t noticed the sign explaining this yet so I start to tell her no. One of the men, pointing to the sign, says no that’s what the chalk is there for and he tells Belle to go ahead. So she does. Well Belle is not shy and she proceeds to engage the men in conversation. I forget exact words but along the lines of explaining to them her current imaginary play. (I’m Boog and she’s Elliot from the movie Open Season) Well they are just having a blast listening to this unexpected sidewalk entertainment.
Then Belle notices that one man is smoking a cigar. Before I can say anything she jumps up runs over to him and says “Hey, man! You shouldn’t smoke!” I say “Belle, honey, you need to not be bossy to grownups!” I am expecting him to say something like “oh yeah, I’m sorry” or something like that and tuck it away until she leaves. But no, to my irritation he starts telling her that cigars are different because he doesn’t inhale and his doctor told him it was ok. Well Belle isn’t buying that. She turns to me with her hand on her hips and says “Is that true?” I probably should have just said, “no it isn’t. This man is feeding you a line” but I had the impression that I would have found myself in the middle of a discussion about cigars so I just said “Honey, this man is a grown up and it isn’t for little kids to tell grown ups what to do but we don’t smoke cigarettes or cigars”. Then I start telling her again that we are very late & need to go.
At this point one of the men who has been clearly the most entertained asks her again what her name is (he had learned it already because she wrote it on the sidewalk and did such a good job at it.). She says “It’s Belle.” He says “can I call you Barbie?” She gives him this “what the heck” look and says “No! my name is Belle!” He asks her again, and again she very exasperatedly says that he can not because her name is Belle! The third time he says “Can I call you Barbie . . . because you’re such a doll!” Belle is clearly getting put out. She puts her fist on her hips and says “No!” then “Oh! I get it! That’s funny!” . . . . Then “but no you can’t” Just like that. Well he finds that very funny!
So now I'm saying again its time to go. Belle decides to have one more go at the cigar man. He tells her its to help him relax. His doctor says no coffee but he can smoke cigars. Belle point to me and says that her Gaga drinks coffee but she doesn’t smoke cigars. I can see where this could head so I again point out we are going to be in trouble with Mommy if we don’t go. And the man observes that we’ll probably be in trouble with mommy because Belle will say its ok to smoke cigars. I take Belles hand and start to walk away saying “tell the men goodbye”. So Belle slips her hand out of mine and goes over and very politely shakes hands with first the cigar man, then the second man. Then she turns to the third one (the one who made the Barbie joke) to shake his hand but he has his fist up, knuckles towards her. With out hesitation Belle puts up her fist and bumps knuckles with him. He says “hey! You know knuckles” With kind of a shake of the head Belle says “Well, ye-ah!” (you know in that “duh” tone of voice. )He thinks that’s just awesome. While the three are chuckling again, Belle goes to one of the empty chairs, climbs in, puts her hands behind her head, leans back and looks like she’s gonna just stay. So the third man says to Belle “looks like you’d like to just stay” Belle is all for that but then I say its late and one man says “yeah and I think we’re in trouble with Mommy” and the cigar man says and if she stayed, she (meaning Belle) "would just grump at me about my cigars!” And the other two laughed in agreement . . . and at his expense!
I took Belle firmly by the hand, we said good bye and, finally headed for home.
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