Public transit story #22: Out of the mouths of babes

BART was full of cuteness this evening. Or perhaps I am merely noticing cuteness more often now that I am growing some cuteness in my midsection.

Well, whatever. I was sitting across the aisle from a spunky five-year-old and her mother. They were evidently returning from a rather eclectic shopping trip. The little girl's loot included a couple of lollipops and a yellow plastic recorder. The mother's loot included some perfume, a sweatshirt, and a hookah. She removed the hookah from its box to check it out.

"Oooh, mama, what's that?" asked her daughter.

"Never you mind," said mama.

"Oh, I know what that is! It's a guitar!" crowed the little girl.

At this point, mother and daughter were joined by a random new seatmate, a middle-aged man. "Look, this is my mom's new guitar!" the little girl announced. The man found this all very amusing.

The little girl conversed a little while with her new friend. Then he asked (as one is wont to do with small children) how old she was. The little girl cycled through several attempts at holding up five fingers, then asked her mother for help. Her mother held up one hand.

"I can do that!" said the little girl. And she proceeded to position her fingers in an instantly recognizable gesture that had nothing to do with her age:

METAL!