My most vivid memory of festival

[mapsedge]

Just a story that defines the positive side of the festival experience for me.

It was one of those weekends in late September, when the summer was starting its slow attitude change into autumn.  I saw a little girl with, I presumed, her father; mommy was nowhere in evidence, and I thought to myself, "Custodial parent day, then."  She and daddy were walking across the bridge by the Mermaid stage, holding hands.  She must have been four or five, dressed in a Strawberry Shortcake motif, including plastic flip-flops.  I was wearing the "hand" prop, that fake fist with the artificial arm sticking out the end that you put your real hand through, that makes it look as if the wearer is carrying a forearm.  I stepped in front of them, and extended my hand to the little girl. 
"Good day t'ye, miss."
She stares at the hand.  Not in shock, not in fear, more like I'd offered her a plate of brocolli.  She looks up at me, the expression on her face very clear: No.  Not on your life.  Not for a million dollars.
Daddy waits.  Little girl waits. 
"What's the matter, miss?  You don't shake hands when you say hello?"
The scorn in her eyes could have microwaved a frozen pizza.  "Yes," she said, "but not with stupid people."
Delighted and stunned beyond coherent thought, I looked to daddy, whose face had drained of color.  He started to fuss at the girl, but I held up my free hand.  "She's spoken well.  She's a wise lass, sir."