I queued up in the checkout line with a young woman unloading her cart. In the back of the cart, with the paper-towels and fruit snacks, was a 3-4 yr old boy. Seated in the front of the cart was a 2 yr old girl. That girl was distraught, massive shiny wet tears rolled down her red cheeks. Her mouth was open in a yowling grimacing cry. I could see little white teeth and baby tonsils.
Being no help to the mother, I was laughing. Clearly the girl was just mad, the mother didn't seem to distressed by it, the mood wasn't dark at all. The mother turned to her baby and said "Somebody is cranky!" I stuck my tongue out at the girl and smiled, she just stared and continued to wail away.
Then a target cashier came over with a red balloon tied to a white nylon string. She tied it to the handle of the cart and the little girl looked around, looked up at the balloon and her crying turned to shoulder shrugging sighs. Then she smiled.
Seen was waiting for me about 10 ft away, he was smiling too. I pointed at the balloon and said to him, "Remember this trick for the next time I have PMS."
All hail the simple healing power of a red balloon.
