A Little Beauty And Innocence Poem by Jim Yerman

This simple story I relate to you exactly as it unfurled…reminding me there is still pure beauty and innocence in the world.

A mother and her daughter entered the bookstore…at guessing ages I am poor…I know enough not to try to guess the mother's age…but her daughter was five…or maybe four.

They browsed around the bookstore for a while…up and down every aisle they looked…then they exited the store…without purchasing a book.

I could see them talking outside the window…I imagine there was a lesson the mother wanted her daughter to learn…because a few moments later…by herself…the daughter had returned.

Soon she was at the counter…book in hand…and in a voice so pleasant and nice asked, "Sir, could you please tell me…this book…what is the price? "

I told her $4.99…she smiled then I said, "Wait! There's more…with tax this little golden book comes to five dollars thirty-four.

She thought for a moment and this is my favorite part to reminisce…then held up a twenty dollar bill and asked, "Is the price of the book less than this? "

And I had to smile as I witnessed the beauty and the innocence in this little girl with her hair flowing down her back when I told her, "Not only is that enough…but you'll be getting money back! "

Once again with her beauty and innocence now on full display…she smiled…handed me the twenty dollar bill, picked up her book…and began to walk away.

"Wait! " I cried as she walked away while still within my range… "I'm glad you have your book but you forget your change."

I will remember forever her expression…it was a smile both innocent and grand….when I counted out fourteen dollars and sixty-six cents and put it in her hand.

I could see how her mind was working…how lucky she felt…I could tell…
Because after coming in with one bill…
she was leaving with her book….5 bills and 4 coins as well.

"I'm rich! " She said smiling at me. "Richer than I was before….
I nodded thinking how we're both a littler richer since she walked into the store.

As she left I silently thanked her for reminding me in this world there is beauty and innocence still….
a fact I will remember every time I find within my hands…a twenty dollar bill.