disney school drop-out

at the end of a very long & tired day,

i was standing in line at the Joe's.

there was a little girl in line in front of me with her mom,

she looked about 4 or 5.

she was looking at me,

so i smiled at her as i adjusted my basket.

all of a sudden i hear her whisper,

"mommy- is that snow white?"

her mom turned and looked at me,

and was probably thinking,

"pffft- yeah right sweetie, that's snow white...

the girl with a coffee stain on her dress,

a nose ring, tattoos and a bottle of wine- ha."

but instead she said,

"i don't know sweetie, why don't you ask her."

i knelt down in front of her and said,

"hi sweetheart, what's your name?"

her eyes got soo big and she shifted around her mom's legs

to shy away from me.

i stood back up,

adjusting my basket again.

in that moment,

all i wanted to do was protect that little girl from everything.

from speeding tickets,

and broken bones,

and broken hearts,

and overdraft fees,

and most of all...from disappointment.

i wanted to promise her that forest animals will come help her clean,

and sing songs with her,

fresh apple pies,

mines full of diamonds,

prince charming,

happily ever after,

and most of all...assurance that the villain always dies in the end.

i'm snapped out of it by the *beep* of the scanner,

and "hi, how are you today?"

"oh i'm fine thank you, how are you?"

the little girl is still looking at me,

as her mom scoops up all their bags.

as they start to leave, she grabs her mom's hand and whispers,

"i think that really is her mommy."

she musters a tiny wave at me.

i laugh under my breath, smiling,

and wave back.

"kids huh?" says the cashier.

"yeah."

as i drove home

i thought about how darling of an encounter that was.

who knew that a dress with puffy sleeves,

a headband in your hair,

and glitter shoes,

could make you a disney princess

in the eyes of a child.

i fumbled with my keys and bag walking up my driveway,

and looked down to see a squirrel sitting on my porch steps.

i laughed out loud as it scurried off.

oh man.

a squirrel- in downtown phoenix.

now, i can assure you,

i am not snow white.

far, far from it actually.

but  at the end of a long day,

that little girl made my year.

and although i know that someday she will grow up

and realize that she in fact did not meet snow white at the grocery store,

i hope that tonight as she falls asleep,

she thinks she did,

and she dreams of happily ever after.