Little Girl

So, there I was talking to “Lana”, (really nice and really out of my league and didn't know it). We were there at this party, maybe fifteen of us on the back of a catamaran, And Lana and I are like brand-new bosom buddies. We are laughing and flirting and my friends are looking at me, and my sister is looking, and her husband is looking at me. It's his boat, Jeffrey's, my brother-in-law's.

Lana says, “Nice boat, Todd...”

“Thank you, Lana. Wanna see below?”

My heart soared as Lana laughed a throaty laugh and then this little kid, my niece, ran up to me and said “I want my sand-dollar back!”

“I don't have your sand-dollar,” I said.

“No!” Little niece Jane said, “I gave it to you on the beach!” People looked over. Eyes narrowed. Someone turned the music off on the outdoor speakers. Little bold faced washboard in a magenta colored one piece cotton bathing suit said in so many words and so may foot stomps that she was absolutely and without doubt not going to let this go.

I had no idea what she was talking about.

I whispered, “I'll give you fifty bucks for your sand-dollar.”

“No!” she screamed.

I looked to my sister for help and my sister looked back at me with the very same sincere expression of interest as everyone else had. They all looked like they were happy to spend the rest of their lives watching me figure this mystery out on my own.

I looked at this rat-trap of a little girl.

I pulled out my wallet, winked at Lana, and handed over a five dollar bill which was snatched from my hand in a very practiced six-year-old snatch. And I was back to Lana.

The hero in her big blue eyes.