Azul, like most five year-olds is very observant and curious, a behavior I have always tried to encourage until today.

While we were shopping for a birthday present at a bookstore for an upcoming birthday party, the first stop we made when we got there was to the ladies room. After taking care of our business, he noticed something he had never seen before. The shiny silver machine calling to him like a leprechaun to a pot of gold, with its knobs and small shelf, all things he couldn’t wait to touch. In a daze of fascination he walked over to his new-found treasure.

“Mommy, what is this for?” His curiosity was taking over.

I replied in a short, I don’t want to talk about this tone, “Tampons.” I didn’t expect there would be a follow-up question, but of course there was.

“What are tampons?” He asked in his high-pitched little voice.

Ugh! Was what I was thinking, but, “things ladies use,” was all I could think of to say at that moment while I held his hand and escorted him out. Damn you Barnes and Noble!

Well, I guess I could count myself lucky, at least he didn’t have any quarters.