MyThreeDaughters

Wife had the three daughters at the dollar store a few days ago. What a great place (and what an opportunity for a shrewd advertiser like Dollar Tree, which could sponsor this blog for cheap and grab the attention of at least five mothers with household purchasing authority).
But back to their shopping. At Dollar Tree (based in nearby Chesapeake, and a finely run operation…wink) even a cash-strapped mom can let each kid pick out one thing. Cost: three bucks.
Fontaine chose reading glasses. Magnification of 1.0. They are silver wire-rimmed, a la Sting in 1987.
We are bad parents. We have no idea if they are right for her eyes, but they are right for one thing.
You’ve heard “Clothes make the man.” That being well-dressed brings about a change of the level of respect for that person by others and the person himself?
Well, glasses are making this kid. She puts them on, it’s like Clark Kent becoming Superman. Attitude change. For the way better.
She can be an aggressive agitator. A psychological scab-picker with poor Elizabeth. She puts these glasses on, she’s Mahatma Gandhi.
She had them on at dinner. I was coming down on Elizabeth about sliding some plate of food all over the table, and I grabbed it from her. That made her more upset.
Then the Bespectacled One spoke: Couldn’t she just have it? Wouldn’t it be worth it, to keep the peace?
I looked at wife, and she at me.
“A DOLLAR?!” I said.
We cracked up.
Sure, we’ll take her to the optometrist. We think she probably needs something, but I don’t care if she goes cross-eyed, if she wants glasses she’s getting them.
(Just kidding, more or less.)

That’s one of Fontaine’s dolls in the picture. As you can see, she drew glasses on the poor thing.