The Slimy Politician

Yesterday was election day, and it was also the day that my Girl Scout Brownies got to set up and sell cookies at a polling center. The local newspaper snapped a photo of our sweet little 7-year-olds selling their wares in the midst of shouting volunteers and smooth talking politicians looking to shake hands and ask for votes.

The reporter asked one young politician if he would like to get a shot of him buying cookies from the girls for the newspaper. He was very excited for the publicity and grabbed a box of the cookies and reached it towards the girls...PRETENDING TO BUY THEM. He wasn't going to actually buy them. My little girls stared at him, like, what are you doing, man?

One mom spoke up. 

"So, wait? You're getting a photo taken buying cookies, but you're not going to actually buy cookies? Isn't that sort of weird?"

"But I already bought some."

"Not from these sweet girls. Perhaps your volunteers could use a little treat?"

He looked like he might break a sweat, especially when he remembered that the newspaper photographer/reporter could potentially tell this little story to the public.

"Uh, yeah. I guess I could go ahead and get one more box."

He reluctantly paid the four dollars. He got his photo. He grimaced and walked away, a mere eight feet away, to continue to try to persuade voters. He can only hope that nobody witnessed that little display.

"Mommy, why did he only want to pretend to buy cookies? Our cookies are so good. I wouldn't ever just pretend to get them, when they are actually right there in front of me. That's just weird." Truly.