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MAYFAIRS

3/10/2014

 
This afternoon a boy, maybe 14, approached me on the street as I was running some errands. He was very polite, and asked me if I would buy him something from the corner shop.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Mayfairs." He looked down when he said it, like he was a bit embarrassed.

"I don't know what that is," I said.

"Cigarettes." He showed me a handful of one pound coins.

I'm really bad at saying no to direct requests. In a way, I think smoking when you're 14 is the most normal act of rebellion there is. I tried it when I was 14. Made myself as sick as a dog and never did it again. Someone must have bought me cigarettes then.

I tried to take the sting out of my 'no' by putting my hand gently on his shoulder and smiling. "I'm really sorry, but I don't think I should do that."

"Oh, please," he said, looking right into my eyes. He was maybe a foot shorter than I am. He was also incredibly cute, or even beautiful. Like he was carved out of some warm wood. Flawless.

We stared into each other's eyes for about thirty seconds. I was trying to let him know that I was sympathetic even though I couldn't buy them. I saw when he realized I wasn't going to help him, just by a flicker in his eyes.  I apologized again and hurried off.


When I got back to work, I told Tim about it. He said it was possible the kid was doing a sting for the council. That I might have been in trouble if I'd bought them for him anyway.

So that gave me pause. The town council training the most adorable liars in the world? I wondered for a minute whether he'd end up in politics.

I know it's unlikely, but I decided I prefer to think that maybe we'd had a little moment where I changed his mind about smoking somehow. And he'll grow up to his full height with strong bones and clear, smooth skin.

And he'll live a long, long life.

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    American writer living in London. Please do not feed.

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