I Wouldn't Believe It If I Hadn't Seen It Myself

This story is true.  Every bit of it.  Even though it was documented by camera phone, that doesn't make it any less true.

I took Hyrum and Evie to the mall.  I never go to the mall.  Especially with two little kids.  And especially especially without a stroller.  I'm a seasoned mom, right?

But I only needed to exchange Ben's watch.  The store had called.  It was in stock.  The store is right by the entrance.  It would be in and out. Piece of cake.

Or piece of candy, as it turned out.
We walked into the mall, Evie in my arms and Hyrum holding my hand.  I was situating the baby on my hip when Hyrum saw something wonderful. Something flashy.  Something intriguing.

This, my loyal readers, is an automatic cotton candy machine.  For just $2, you can watch this machine spin your own sugary confection.  Two bucks?  Yeah, right.
 
Please, Mommy, please!
I said, "Go ahead and push the button. You have to put money in it, and I don't have any today (or any other day, for the rest of time, especially for cotton candy)."

He pushed.
The machine came to life. 
A stick dropped from the pile, and blue sugary sweetness began swirling, then adhering to the paper stick.  I was a bit flummoxed, thinking surely it would ask for his cash at some point.

It never asked.  "Open the door and remove your treat. Thank you."

There was never a happier boy in all of America.  See?

 What's a mom to do? Normally, I would never let him eat an entire cotton candy.  But this was manna from heaven, and who was I to deprive?

We walked into Zumiez, broken watch in my purse and cotton candy drool all over Hyrum's shirt.  It was a quick exchange, and I was trying to explain to Hyrum that this never happens.  You always have to put money in the machine to get a treat.
On the way out, I had him push the button again, just to prove my point.

I was wrong.

Lights flashed again, sugar resumed its swirling speed.  And I was made out to be a liar.  What was a mom to do?  I called the number on the front of the machine to alert the vendor that the machine was broken.  Tom answered, listened to my explanation, then replied, "I always set the machine to dispense three free after it's been serviced. Have a nice day."

Thanks, Tom.  He did.

And I let him eat every last bite of that second cotton candy as well.  Who was I to look a gift horse in the mouth, and deprive a little boy of one of the best stories of his life?