It’s a crystalline, blue-sky day in Minneapolis and I’m weaving my way through shoppers at the Mill City Farmer’s Market, considering options for my lunch. Although the walleye sandwich is tempting, and the Tibetan dumplings smell fantastic, I can’t resist giving the sweet potato taco a whirl!
As I settle with it on a top step, perfectly positioned for people-watching, a little red-haired cutie spins around and beams up a whole-body smile. When I smile back, she springs to her feet, marches up the stairs and plops down beside me. Feeling no need for preliminaries, she pokes out a tiny foot and says, “See – I didn’t wear my sandals today because I wanted to wear my green shoes!”
Her Mom, who had looked startled at first, nods and smiles when I point to my camera and then watches us with amusement. “My name is Hazel,” announces my new friend, holding up two fingers, “and I am two years old!” Then, just in case I don’t quite get it, she unfurls two fingers on the other hand and says, emphatically, “See – two!”
We chat a few minutes, then she scoots a little closer and, in quiet companionship, we watch the parade of shoppers until her Mom calls up that it’s time to go.
These are the moments that shine like luminous pearls and live forever in the heart of a traveler.