The Age Of Innocence

(The museum I work at has five price brackets: Senior (65+), Adult (16-64), Youth (age 6-15), and Child (age 3-5), with under 3 being free admission. These are listed on the sign above the cashier’s heads at the admission desk, but it’s confusing enough that to save time I usually just ask guests for the ages of their kids instead of listing them all. The following happens about once a day.)

Me: “Okay, so that’s one adult for general admission, and how old is the kiddo?”

Guest: “She’s—” *stops and peers at price list* “Uh… five.”

Daughter: *looking outraged* “NO! Mommy, I’m SIX and a HALF.”

Guest: *refuses to meet my eyes* “Oh, sorry, honey. Right. She’s six.”

Daughter: “—and a HALF!”

Me: “Great! So one adult and a youth will be [amount]!” *smiles sweetly*