Conversations

I love talking with children.  I enjoy their thought processes, their view of the world, and their understanding (or lack of it) of social conventions.  I find that talking with children is a joyful experience that often teaches me a great deal and makes me laugh.

Several days ago, while I was talking to two young sisters, I admired the clothing that they were wearing and asked the older one if I could have her outfit when she grew too big for it. The girls laughed (for some reason they laugh often when I am talking to them) as the conversation continued.

Alice: You can't wear this.

Meg:  Yes, I can.

A: You are too big.

M: I think that I would look pretty in it.  Why can't I wear it?

A: You can't wear it.

M: You're mean and you can't come to my birthday party.

A: You can't wear it because it is a size 8.

M: I can wear a size 8.

A: I wear a size 8 because I am 8.  You are older, so you wear a size ...

At this point Alice's father intervened and told her that she could not tell me a size.  When I told him that I did not mind, he told me that she did not realize that sizes repeat, and that someone might be offended if she came up with a very large number for a size.  He was, of course, correct.  Not everyone would think it were funny if she came up with a very large number for a size.

I do, however, really wish that I knew what size she was going to assign to me.