He turned to me, wide-eyed, and seriously said…
“I thought it was abandoned! My niece loves unicorns.”
I stared at him, baffled. The stuffed toy was clearly worn, with my daughter’s name stitched onto its leg.
She ran up, snatching it back with a dramatic, “It’s mine! You thief!” He stammered an apology and walked off in embarrassment.
Back at the bench, my daughter hugged her toy tight, eyeing everyone suspiciously. Lesson learned: never underestimate the sentimental value of a threadbare unicorn—or a kid’s ability to shout louder than you ever thought possible.
