The Parent Laugh

Someone, somewhere in the Southern U.S. was laughing at me Saturday morning. Someone who sets start dates for Girl Scout cookie sales in the Northern U.S., in the middle of winter.

The Girl, who last year, was out-paced by another neighborhood Girl Scout, was determined to be the first to hit the neighborhood in hopes of avoiding the "I've already bought cookies from 2 other girls" response to her sales pitch. At 8:30 am, she was already donning all of her winter gear. Why all, you ask? Why because it was -11 degrees outside. Yes, 11 b-e-l-o-w, before windchill. And my dear daughter looked at me like I was CRAZY when I suggested that maybe that cookie goal she set should be adjusted up a few degrees... ahem- I mean down a few boxes due to the weather... I'll admit I did ponder suggesting that she go out to our direct neighbors- and I'd watch from the front door. But, as tempting as it was, off we went- out to schlep overpriced cookies door to door, all in the name of a VERY cheezy prize if the literature was right.

Best part? Under all those clothes & cold weather gear, I was unrecognizable as neighbors wondered WHO would ring their door bell at 9:35am on a Saturday morning- worse yet, SELLING something. Girl was in her glory, however. She did it all- Sales Pitch, details, cookie suggestions, and recordkeeping. I just stood there, at the end of the driveway, wondering when the Girl would get her fill.

All was going great- until our pen froze. And then the other pen (in my down-lined pocket) froze. Note to self- pencils next year- PENCILs.

After 56 minutes enjoying the great outdoors and wondering if I'd ever feel my legs again, we came to what the Girl proclaimed to the "last house we needed to try." (My- I think she was finally getting cold). I let her do her thing again. On our walk back home, she turned to me and described her last transaction. There was a nice older man in a robe and slippers who had answered the door. Wonderful wifts of pancakes & syrup snuck out of their house as the Girl ducked in to let him write his order down [yes- she was in my full view the whole time].

E: "I think he felt sorry for me. When I walked in, he did the parent laugh."
Me: "What's the parent laugh?"
E: "You know- the laugh that's not about a funny joke, but when they think you did something dumb or cute."
Me: "Oh. I get it. So-were you doing something dumb or cute?"
E: "Moooooooomm......."

She counted her sales at the end of our venture- 42 boxes! I was numb, but she was glowing.

Can't WAIT until next year...