Kira's New Notebook

Kira and I went shopping last Friday. I had a list of errands, and there was a certain pencil case she had been telling me about for days. We went, we looked, we bought: science manuals for Nikita, the world's most sophisticated pencil case and a small notebook for Kira. She explained it would be used to write down words she heard at school that needed translation – an excellent sales pitch, I thought.

All this cost more than I had. A trip to the bank swiftly added itself to my list. We asked the stationer to keep some of the stuff for us – instead he put everything into my bag, smiling and waving his arms about, Oh-you-can-pay-me-later. What time do you close? - I asked. Oh, no worries, come back with the money today, tomorrow, another day... more shrugging and smiling and vague waving of the arms towards some distant horizon. I must ask before I go on with the story: when is the last time you remember this happening at WH Smith?

A while later, after bank and baker and Chinese shop, we stopped at the cafe next to the church and had orange juice in the late afternoon sun. I tried, and failed, to write emails, Kira drew in her new notebook (a little church with flowers springing through the roof and swallowing the bell).

On the way home we passed by the stationer's to pay for our books and things. By the time we got home, Kira's little notebook had vanished. It didn't help that, as she realised it had gone, I was also discovering how much it had cost (the exact equivalent of four thick A4 notebooks). To placate me, she offered the contents of her piggybank, which came to under two euros in very small coins (previously pinched from me). I took it, although it didn't do much to improve my mood.

The next day, we passed by the stationer's again. Kira dashed in and immediately found her little notebook, complete with drawing, back on the shelf. We waltzed out of the shop with great glee, cheering and chattering and hopping about. Half-way home, when we'd calmed down a bit, Kira sighed and fell silent for a minute, then chirped again:

“Can I have my money back now?”