While the boys were obsessing over pocket knives, Little Sister was trying to pick out a souvenir of her own.
Pinecone earrings and bracelets sold in the mercantile.
To her credit, Bun Mom walked around the store with the girl and made suggestions. How about this cute pinecone necklace? How about the pinecone earrings or bracelet?
The girl picked up a $35 bobcat hand puppet. How about this? she asked her mother.
Bun Mom reminded Little Sister how they’d already discussed this souvenir shopping trip and how she’d explained each kid could pick out something small. The bobcat puppet, Bun Mom told Little Sister was not in her budget.
How about these dragonfly earrings? Bun Mom asked Little Sister. At $10.95, they were in the budget, and Little Sister could get her birthstone.
The mercantile sells these dragonfly earrings.
Little Sister spent a long time looking at the dragonfly earrings and the other items on the jewelry carousel, but did not reach a decision.
At one point, the girl was picking up and putting down and picking up again bear and bobcat bobble heads. These are only $6! These are only $6! she exclaimed over the $5.95 items.
You could get one of those, her mother told her, but the girl still hadn’t decided.
As the other family completed their transaction, Bun Mom told Little Sister to make her decision because she was about to pay. Little Sister ran around the store growing increasingly distressed.
I rang up Bun Mom’s t-shirt and Brother’s whistle and the Christmas tree ornament Little Sister had helped pick out for the family tree.
Anything else? I asked Bun Mom.
I’m paying, she called out to her daughter. Pick something.
By this point Little Sister was howling and whining and crying and stomping her feet. She didn’t seem to want something her mother said she couldn’t have. Her frustration seemed to be coming from not being able to make a decision.
She ran out onto the porch and her mother said she’d choose something for her.
I’m getting the pinecone bracelet, Bun Mom told her through the thin walls of the yurt.
No! Little Sister howled. Not that, she wailed. Anything but that!
She came back into the store, and ended up picking out a pinecone necklace. I don’t know why she liked the pinecone on the necklace but hated it on the bracelet.
She continued to cry and ran back out onto the porch.
Bun Mom told me the girl had trouble making decisions and was overwhelmed by all the choices in the store. I would call “overwhelmed” an understatement. I think the girl was having a full blown meltdown.
We closed the store soon after Little Sister and her family and friends left.
The Man went outside to close the yurt’s window. When he came back in, he said, That little girl is still crying. He’d seen her run up to the store, look at the sign saying “Sorry, we’re closed,” and take off running while sobbing. She had probably wanted to exchange her pinecone necklace for something she’d decided was better.
I don’t think she’s enjoying her human experience, The Man said, and I had to agree with him there.
I took the photos in this post.