The other day I bumped into a neighbor at the local grocery store. Her delightfully precocious daughter chatted my ears off. She was especially excited to tell me about her pumpkin patch. She was selling her pumpkins to earn some money. “For college?” I asked. “Oh no,” she replied, “but maybe for a trip to Disneyland.”
The very next evening the little girl and her mother appeared at my door, with a wagon load of pumpins trailing behind her. She wanted to know if I wanted to buy one. “How much?” I asked. “Whatever it’s worth to you,” she replied. Not wanting to take advantage I pointed out one of the smaller pumpkins and put the bid back in her court. “How much is that one worth to you?”
“Five dollars,” she said firmly. “Sheesh–I’m involved in a bidding war with a five-year-old over pumpkins!” I thought to myself. She then pointed to an even bigger one and assured me that one was worth at least $10!
Wanting to be generous, but also knowing I’m not made out of money, I told her I needed to go inside to see if I had any cash. It was almost a relief to see all I had on hand was three one-dollar bills. Realizing I was still in way over my head, I took out the ones and told her that was all I had and sweetly asked her if there were any pumpkins in her wagon that were worth three dollars. She thought for a second and pointed out the very smallest pumpkin. We exchanged money for pumpkin and she went on her way to shake down the next unsuspecting neighbor.
Whew! Never underestimate the business savy of a kindergartener.
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