Small Wonders

Note: This is unfinished. I forgot what the plot was. . . . Perhaps someone can remind me?

          "Angela?"

 

          "Yes, Mother?"

 

          "You've been very good today. Would you like a quarter so you can buy a gumball out of the machine?"

 

          Angela, a little girl of seven years, considered this very carefully. She and her mother had just finished shopping for some new winter clothes at the mall and were preparing to brave the ice November weather to trek through the parking lot to their car and go home.

 

          "What's the diff'rence between giving me a gumball when I'm good, and not giving me one if I'm bad?" the little girl asked. "Is it the same thing? Then why are there two diff'rent ways to say it?"

 

          She blinked up at her mother, opening her eyes and cocking her head to the left, giving her mother the inquisitive look that she had given her every time she wondered about a new phenomena since before she had learned to speak. Angela constantly wondered about the world. Never-ending questions tumbled from her mouth, and she absorbed all the answers anyone gave her like a sponge. The brightest child in her class, she still desired to know more. Her intelligence matched only her cuteness, perhaps, and if she smiled more often instead of wearing the contemplative and serious face of a little scientist, she would have been even cuter.

 

          Her mother let out a tired sigh and gave a small smile, watching her curious daughter count up the different colors of gumballs in the machine.

 

          "There are five colors," Angela said, not seeming too upset that her previous questions went unanswered, "and one of them is purple. So that means one-fifth of the gumballs are purple, which means it's a twenty percent chance I'll get a purple one, right, Mother? Right?"

 

          "Yes, dear. Did you learn that in school already?"

 

          "No. At recess, I like to talk to Ms. Padgett; she's the fourth grade math teacher, and she's been telling me about percents," said Angela. After a short pause during which her little brow furrowed again, she said, "I think I like percents."

 

          Her mother fished in her purse for a quarter and handed her one, watching as the little girl turned the handle on the machine, hoping that- yes! A purple gumball rolled down the spiral track and she bent down to collect it. Delighted with the simple treat, she put her mittened hand into her mother's and they strolled out of the store.

Reviews

[Katie de Lavani]

I enjoyed the little girl's personality; how analytical and wide-eyed she is. One way you might continue is to have her come upon something never seen before. Where little girls would scream and run, she tries to figure out what it is and... on from there.

Can't wait to see more... whichever way it goes.