Not because she wanted to buy everything.
Because she seemed delighted that no one expected her to.
At a table covered with woven bracelets, a girl around twelve looked up from her book.
“Two for ten.”
Annie picked up a blue-and-green bracelet.
“What do you think?”
I examined it.
“Very Surface Queen.”
“That title carries responsibilities.”
She bought two.
The girl took the twenty-dollar bill Annie offered and searched through a cash box.
“You can keep the change,” Annie said.
The girl looked up sharply.
“It’s ten dollars.”
“Yes.”
“You gave me twenty.”
“I know.”
“You said two for ten.”
Annie paused.
“I’m bad at markets.”
The girl pushed the money toward her.
“My mom says we don’t let tourists ruin pricing.”
I laughed.
Annie accepted the change.
“I respect your business ethics.”
She tied one bracelet around my wrist and kept the other.
They did not match exactly.
Hers had more green.
Mine had a small yellow thread at the edge.
I liked that.
