"Bye-bye, I love you . . . ."

I'd just pulled into the closest parking spot I could manage on a Wal-Mart Saturday. Making sure windows were up, doors were locked, double-checking to make certain that I wasn't about to lock - or hadn't already locked myself out by leaving car keys on the front seat when I heard it.

A small voice. Sweet. Innocent. Directed at me? I turned to look over my shoulder, and there was the source of that voice. A little boy, maybe two, two and a half years old - leaning out the window of an old station wagon, waving as he yelled. Several children in the vehicle. Mom, no doubt, inside the store, fighting the Wal-Mart crowds, trying to shop.

Again - "Bye-bye, I love you!" And it was sincere, I decided. Sincere, not a joke. The others were focused on other things. This one, small child - looking at me, smiling, waving . . .

I was amused . . . and touched.

I smiled, waved back, nodding as I said, "Love you, too."

We both smiled as I turned away, heading into the store.

I'm thinking I smiled longer than he did....

Copyright 2008 - Tom A.B. Taylor

Note to myself: That was "a moment." Precious. Never to be repeated. This one goes in the KEEPERS file.