Outlet

Fresh shoes

I take Madeleine to the factory outlets in Manchester, Vt.  She's no dummy and knows I can't resist her. We end up in the usual places - Ralph Lauren, J Crew, Banana Republic.  She scores some shoes at Coach which makes us both feel good . .. At RL I try on some Polo cologne which every teenage male doused himself with in the 1980s. Sonnet crinkles her nose while Eitan accustomed to using my cologne from G F Trumper which, he informs me, "smells more like a man."

Madeleine: “Can I have my Ju Ju Fish?”

Me: “No. You can take a break from sugar.”

Madeleine: “What? ! Eitan is eating Pringles !”

Me: “You can have four.”

Madeleine: “10.”

Me: “Five. And that’s a final offer.”

Madeleine: “You are so unfair.”

Me: “Remember when we talked about the glass half-full and how other people influence your perception? You only care about Eitan getting to eat Pringles.”

Madeleine: “Who cares about some dumb glass?”
Me: “You got me there.”