I occasionally work at conventions for a local gaming store when they need a few extra hands. It’s been a long day and the dealer’s room has just closed, but the convention itself is still going strong. All of my coworkers have gone off to meet other friends, and I’m feeling a little lonely since I’m spending the weekend away from my fiancée. I decide to walk around the convention a little anyway and then sit down on a bench to play with my 3DS.

Since this is an anime and gaming convention, there are tons of cosplayers everywhere. The convention centre is in the downtown, and sometimes you’ll see ‘convention tourists,’ or people who obviously know nothing about the convention but are gawking at all the strange costumes. I’m dressed all in black and red, with a long black hooded cloak, heavy combat boots, devil’s horns and black lipstick, and I probably look pretty intimidating.

Suddenly there’s a tug on my cloak, and I look up from my game to see a little boy about four years old beaming at me. He says something in French I don’t understand just as his father catches up, smiling sheepishly. His father says the boy wants his picture taken with me. Of course I say yes, and the boy crawls right into my lap, still beaming, so his dad can take a picture. Then he thanks me, and off they go.

I was dressed as an obscure character from a popular web-comic. There’s no way either father or son actually knew who I was dressed as. I have no idea why the little boy decided the girl in the dark cloak and demon horns was the one he wanted a photo with, but it was the highlight of my weekend!

(I work in a very small grocery store. We have regulars, and many people from the reserve just out of town come shopping there too. They’re usually fairly quiet and keep to themselves. Today a cheery older man from the reserve came in to buy some snacks and something quick for dinner. He’s always like that, probably the most talkative customer from the reserve. He’s always got something to talk about and he’s very nice. Behind me, my coworker is ringing through a very young boy and his dad. I finish bagging the older man’s groceries, and this happens…)

Older Man: *paying in cash* “Here you go!” *accidentally drops $5 on the floor*

Boy: *picks it up and goes to hand it to him*

Older Man: *smiling* “No, finders keepers, right? It’s yours.”

Boy: “Really?”

(At this point the boy looks shocked and excited.)

Older Man: “Yes, sir!”

Boy: *runs to his dad* “Daddy! Daddy! Look!” *showing the $5 to his dad*

Boy’s Dad: *looks at the older man and smiles* Wow! $5! What are you gonna buy with that?”

Older Man: *nods at boy’s dad, grabs his groceries, and leaves, smiling the whole time*

I teach a sixth-grade class, which is preparing to go on two field trips. Both of these field trips are supposed to be paid for in full by a grant from the state. As I am teaching my class I get a call. The grant didn’t pay for the whole trip like it was supposed to. I would either have to leave one kid at the school while the rest of the class goes on the second trip or I would have to come up with $25 to pay out of my pocket. I would have gladly paid the $25 but didn’t have the money yet.

A few days after receiving the call I lead my class down to their art class, and then head back upstairs to grade papers. When I get upstairs I notice a small cookie tin sitting on my desk. I open it up and there is $25 in small bills and change along with a note that reads:

“I wanted to pay my own way for the Springfield trip so you don’t have to pay for it out of your pocket. -Anonomous” [sic]

The kid who did it was a very thoughtful young man and was very mature for his age. If you are reading this I just want to thank you again. It is still the most thoughtful thing a student has done for me.

This story is part of the make-you-smile roundup!

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(I’m at The Nutcracker with two friends and their daughter. There are a lot of small children in the audience for obvious reasons. During the second act, dancers representing different “nationalities” perform for the main character. As the Arabian dance starts, a very little girl behind me screams at the man wearing a turban and “traditional” clothing.)

Child: “Mommy! It’s the genie!”

(Whoever mommy is, hats off to her for raising an imaginative daughter. Every adult around her had a good laugh, though.)

(I’m sitting next to a small family in a workshop. There’s a little girl that keeps asking her dad to tell her stories. He obliges, telling stories that become increasingly more and more far-fetched, and he is clearly struggling to think of new ideas. Eventually he comes up with this gem:)

Father: “Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, there was a princess.”

Daughter: “What was her name?”

Father: “Leia. And she had a twin brother named Luke. And they had two bots named R2D2 and C3PO.”

Daughter: *jumping up and down* “R2D2! R2D2!”