Like many independent book stores around the country these days, we have to carry so much more than just books. We carry everything from clothing to jewelry to snack food to stone specimens. We also have a stubbornly difficult couple of shelves. Seems that no matter what we put on these shallow, low shelves in front of the register counters, nothing sells. But, for the little folks who visit us, these shelves are irresistible. They are, after all, at their eye level.

My little two year old grandson and his big brother come in to visit me on a regular basis. The two year old is at that age where he wants to touch everything, of course, he’s two. We work on this, like all good parents and grandparents. So, when he stands in front of these shelves and touches the chap-stick, tubes of sunscreen, or whatever else we try selling there, we say, “No, no. Don’t touch.”

Recently we changed up the shelves. We moved bowls of stones: rose quartz, malachite, lapis, amethyst, moonstone, fluorite, etc. to sit very prettily there. Yes, we realize, very tempting to little ones. On the other row of shelves we put boxes of chocolate covered cherries. Oh, the cruelty!

The last time my guys came to visit my two year old stood in front of the rows of bowls of stones, with his arms glued to his sides. He moved his head from side to side, scanning the shelves of irresistible trinkets. He repeated to himself, “No, no. No, no. No, no.”

His mom and I giggled at his monumental efforts to be a good boy. Then he turned the corner and came eyeball to box with chocolate covered cherries. He slowly raised his hands to chest level and clinched his little fists. “No, no. No, no. No, no.” he desperately whispered. He never touched a thing.

Such a good boy.