This is a story one of my students told me while I was teaching English in high school. I’ll call her Joanna. This happened when she was a little girl. At the time, Poland was still socialist, and stores had mostly empty shelves. Long lines quickly formed for any item other than vinegar, which suddenly became available. However, anyone with a child two or under didn’t have to wait like everyone else.
On this particular day, Joanna’s mom took her to the store. Ignoring the dirty looks, she walked straight up to the front of the line. The cashier smiled and looked at Joanna.
“Little girl,” she said in a friendly voice. “How old are you?”
She answered loudly enough for all to hear. “I’m three, but Mommy wants me to say I’m two!”
Picture: ChatCPT