1. The Baby Who Laughed 469
words
By RL Young Descriptive
Observation
On a particularly gray and gloomy day last week, I was feeling negative and dwelling on
the clouds, rather than the silver lining. I had errands to run, and I hate shoping. Not all
shopping, just the shopping that is required of all of us each week to maintain our
quality of life. You know the grind; shampoo, deodorant, gallon of milk, eggs, kitty
litter, school lunch items, etc. If I was shopping for a new car, with a $50,000 gift card
from my late great uncle Elmer, then I am quite sure that I would LOVE shopping.
But that was not the case on this day. I was standing in the checkout line, waiting for
the store manager to come and approve the check of the person three ahead of me. In
the carriage in front of me, was a very cute baby girl. She had a pink checked dress and
white socks with pink check ribbons on them, a little froth of strawberry blonde hair,
and wide hazel eyes. She was staring at me, studying my actions and my expressions.
So I smiled at her. My smile caused a shy little smile to come across her face. So I
smiled bigger! My bigger smile caused this sweet baby to start to giggle. Which I
enjoyed completely. So I now started to really exaggerate my smile; changing my
expression from wide-eyed wide-mouthed surprise to a sheepish, coy smile - hidden
behind one hand. This baby instinctively knew I was playing with her. The rest of the
world faded into the background, and there was no-one in the store except myself and
this happy laughing baby.
If I could bottle that laugh, and open the bottle on other gloomy days - I know it would
always make me smile. Better than valium, better than chamomile tea, better than a
power nap. I would be the girl sitting on a crowded subway or stuck in traffic, or
waiting on the side of the road for a tow - with a smile on her face.
So, I forgot I was waiting in a long line at the checkout counter. I forgot that I hate
shopping. I was under the spell of that blissful baby's innocence. Her laughing, me
smiling, her smiling, me laughing, laughing with so much emotion that I had to wipe the
tears from my eyes, her proud mother looking on. What a moment of pure joy!