(A mother and her young son, about three years old, come into the frozen foods aisle where there are three carts filled with clearance items. The mother immediately starts digging through the first basket while her son sits quietly in another cart. Just as she pauses to look at an item in the first cart the boy becomes VERY excited.)
Boy: “Oh, look, Mama! You see dat right there?! It’s Avengers! See? You see dat?!”
Mother: *confused* “What? Where?”
(The mother glances though the second cart then into the third and spots a garishly colored box decorated with the Avengers characters. She picks it up and begins looking at it while the boy is clearly trying to physically restrain himself from launching himself out of the cart.)
Boy: *begging* “You see dat?! It got Iron Man and Hulk Smash and Cap’ ‘Merica and Thor! Oh, please, Mama, please, you buy it for me? I really like it! Please, you buy it for me?”
Mother: *absentmindedly* “Hold up… Trying to read it.”
Boy: “I just like it so much! I like Cap’ ‘Merica and Iron Man and all the Avengers! Please, you buy it for me, Mama? You got coupon for it? You buy it for me?”
Mother: “No, sweetie, I don’t have a coupon for it.”
(Although the boy has been begging for it he hasn’t been angry about it. He just clearly wants whatever is in this box and as soon as the mother declares that she doesn’t “have a coupon” the little boy deflates. His shoulders slump, he puts his head down, doesn’t say a word at all, but continues to look at the box with a look of pure longing. It’s rather heartbreaking to witness. At this point the mother has finished reading the front of the box and turns it over to look at the back. Because the item is nearing its expiration date there is a small white tag indicating the sale price. The second the little boy sees this he practically launches out of his seat and very loudly continues begging.)
Boy: *pointing* “You see that, Mama?! It on sale! It say one five zero! That not too much! And, look, it got Hawkeye on the back! I just love that guy! Please, you buy it for me, Mama? It my favorite!”
(At this the mother bursts out laughing as she turns and looks at the boy.)
Mother: “It’s your favorite? Sweetie, you don’t even know what’s in here! They’re granola bars!”
Boy: *nodding* “Uh-huh. Yeah. Those my favorite! I really like those! And I like Cap’ ‘Merica and Hulk Smash and Hawkeye and Thor! Oh, Mama, I like them so much!”
Mother: *looking from the back then back to him and trying not to laugh* “All right. You know what?”
Boy: *suddenly serious* “What?”
Mother: “I have dragged you out to a billion different stores today which, I know, is really boring.” *the boy nods in agreement* “And this whole time you haven’t thrown a single fit, so—” *tosses box in his lap* “—here ya go. I’ll buy it for you.”
(At this the boy looks like he’s about ready to cry because he’s so happy.)
Boy: “Thank you so much, Mama!” *holds the box out and gazes at with complete adoration* “Wait!” *puts the box down and holds out his arms towards his mother* “Kiss and hugs!”
(The mother obliged him and the two went on their way with the boy excitedly talking about how cool the Avengers were. I’ve seen loads of kids throw temper tantrums or demand things from their parents but never had I seen a child beg for something so sweetly.)
