Support the Youth

When the thermometer starts to climb, and the week-end rolls around, the garage sale season starts in full swing. With the advent of the garage sale season comes the newest generation of lemonade and KoolAid stands. Today was the Glebe Garage Sale - the garage event of the year. I had wandered about halfway around before I remembered the rule - ye shalt buy from a lemonade stand manned by small children. Except that there was so many, how was one to choose? There are only so many glasses of watery lemonade that one can drink especially when restroom facilities are few and far between.

Normally, you buy from the cute kid. The cute kid has an unfair advantage, it will make a killing. The average child will barely break even. I know. I've played Lemonade Stand (on the Commodore 64 nonetheless). I tend to go broke really fast. The game doesn't allow you to use the cute factor.

Then I spotted the child of six who I would give my business too. He was operating under a tree, on a road less travelled and he was looking slightly bored. So my friend and I ambled over to inspect the wares. The boy was not selling drinks - oh no. He had upped the entrepreneur factor and was selling temporary tattoos. There was no choice. You either got tattooed with a Sens logo or you didn't get one at all. I love temporary tattoos. I was thrilled. I got to support youth initiative, and I got a tattoo.

I rolled up my sleeve, squatted down on the sidewalk and waited to be branded a Sens fan. The boy refused any offer of help from his father, so his father gave directions from above. "Place the tattoo, now get the sponge wet, not too wet, ok, now put it on the tattoo." The little boy very carefully concentrated and applied the wet sponge to my arm. I noticed with a shock that he was using cold water. He furrowed his forehead and pushed harder. Cold water trickled down my arm. I tried not to gasp and stared straight ahead concentrating on the crack in the pavement. I'd heard that getting tattooed hurt but I was unprepared for the real experience. After an interval he removed the tattoo and carefully peeled away the backing. There it was - I was branded a Sens Fan!



My friend wouldn't get one. He must have figured out that the water was cold. Then again, he wouldn't get his face painted either.

I love getting my face painted. When I was a child, face painters were excellent. Your face became a work of art. Preteens aren't quite that good. They are also taken back when an "adult" announces that she wants her face painted. They also go and get the best artist. In my enthusiasm to support the local youth, I had an excuse to have my face painted. No one had told me that the Glebe Garage sale was like the school fair all over again. After the girl had very carefully mixed various paint sticks together, I had a large butterfly painted on one check and a smaller one on the other - in bright custom colours, mixed specially. She apologized for the wings not being properly symmetrical. I assured her that it was hard to get it right when the person you were painting kept smiling and laughing. But when you're having your face painted, you're having fun. With fun comes facial movements and lopsided butterflies.

For the rest of the day, I wandered around with butterfly checks, showing people my Sens tattoo. They hid their jealously remarkably well. I know better. Next year they too will support the youth. It's too much fun not too.