I sat down on the porch to watch her draw.

After awhile, she seemed to stop and study me and then grabbed the blue chalk and drew an eye. Next, she picked up the pink chalk and told me the new dot was "your nose, gramma."

Then she added "your big mouth."

Okay, so maybe that characterization isn't attractive, but she's too darn cute for me to really complain.

Next came my other eye.

She added a leg

and "your big foot."

At least she gave me a matched set.

Next came an arm

and "your big hand."

Soon I had a matched set of those, too.

By this point, I'm thinking, at least she captured my smile.

I asked her, "What's missing?"

She studied me for a second and answered, "Your hair."

I handed her the yellow chalk, thinking she'd add my crowning glory of beautiful blonde hair. After all, I thought I'd noticed it was getting lighter again -- so much so that I've been thinking of washing it in lemon juice to "assist" the process.

Taylor studied me for a minute, climbed up on the step, returned the yellow chalk to the bucket, looked at me with this silly grin on her face, and got out another color.

Then added gramma's hair.

The kid's too darned honest.

Next week, I'll teach her about perpetuating myths and flattery.

Page date: 02-15-99