“…ye have not because ye ask not.” James 4:2, KJV
I swear sometimes things happen that I just don’t expect…
Like when I ran into Kahlil Kain and his beautiful smile after a taping of the UPN show Girlfriends… that was a very pleasant surprise. I was so happy that I was willing to marry him (after our first date which took place in my daydreams, of course). Maybe I should have asked for him.
And like today, at the movies, when I was walking up to the concession counter… and I feel this tap on my arm… and attached to those tapping fingers, was a Beaver Cleaver looking little boy sporting ultra widened eyes… Like a Manga character or that cat from Shrek. The Boy parted his lips to ask,
“Will you buy me some popcorn?”
Huh?
“It’s only four dollars…”
What the…?
He was cute.
His hair was standing tall, sculpted with gel… A real cutie… who was trying to get me to buy his snack on my dime, but I couldn’t be mad. The Boy was guiding me to the most cost effective bag of corn. I know the kid’s nervy but at least he was trying to save me some money!
“Where’s your mother?” I ask him.
“She’s in line,” He replies pointing to a group where there’s a premiere of some sort going on… some special screening… I didn’t see nary a mamma… No one looked like they expected to take him home either. But I did see a whole lot of women.
I told the kid that I would buy him some popcorn… I didn’t know what else to say. I could have just told him to scram. I also could have just asked him to meet his mamma.
“How old are you?” I still didn’t believe I agreed to buy The Boy popcorn.
“Eight.”
I turn to the counter with my mouth open…
The kid sees my co-worker, a fellow teacher. He comes up behind me, and he taps her on her bottom and asks her the same question.
“Should I buy him popcorn?” I asked my other co-worker, Tom. “I have never, ever had a strange kid ask me to buy them popcorn in the theatre.”
Tom’s reminded me of the obvious. “Hey, the kid obviously has money. He got into this theatre!”
What a good point. But then again, maybe he pimped his way into the building.
So I order my water at the counter… and the kid stays there and waits… he and his wide eyes expecting me to buy his corn.
Huh?
Instead of telling him a straight out “No,” I ignored him and his eyes and kept moving.
That was three years ago. I still wonder if he found a sucker, I mean success that night.
I sometimes wonder what I’m missing because I haven’t asked…
