Joining Rivers

(I’m a graduate student, but I work nights and weekends as a children’s entertainer. I am painting a little girl’s face at a Christmas festival as her parents stand behind me.)

Me: *to the girl* “So, what’s your name?”

Girl: “River!”

Me: “Oh, what a pretty name! I have one, no, two favorite TV characters named River!”

(Her father raises his eyebrows.)

Dad: “Which two?”

Me: “Oh, River Tam from Firefly and River Song from Doctor Who.”

(The father laughs and points at his daughter.)

Dad: “That’s who she was named after, River Tam.”

(At this point, I’ve finished the little girl’s face paint, which has glitter in it. She is admiring herself in my mirror.)

Dad: *to the girl* “Now, what do you say?”

Girl: “Shiny! Let’s be bad guys!”

(Parenting, you’re doing it right!)