Brown Bear, Brown Bear

"Brown Bear, Brown Bear" has been one of Mary Alice's favorite books for a long time. At some point we took BOTH copies and hid them on her, for refusing to repetitively read it would result in the most hysterical and oft inconsolable fits that it just wasn't worth it. Somehow a copy resurfaced and made its way to the car. This has proven to be helpful on a number of occasions to keep her occupied while driving.
A couple of nights ago I was making dinner and realized I was missing a key ingredient and loaded MAK into the car, leaving the boys at home, and went to Aldi. I brought her with because I know how much she LOVES to go shopping and engage in brief accounts of social interaction. When getting her out of the car she refused to leave "Brown Brear" in the car. What did I really care...so what, so she brings the book in, no big deal.
Normally Mary Alice rolls down the aisles saying "Hi" or "Hi-yo" to EVERYONE she passes. Don't get me wrong, I love this about her, and those that she passes also seem to really enjoy chatting with her. Even if it is only a repetitive exchange of greetings. Well, this time she not only greeted everyone but she also went around informing them, "It's a book! It's a book!" All the while holding the book out to them to take and read! Most people just smiled and talked about how cute she is.
Then that moment came when we got ourselves into the check line. I made my way to the front of the cart in order to prepare for the big unload. By doing this I left an apparently single guy, probably in his early thirties, fulling exposed to Mary Alice and her wiles! She just kept saying, "A BOOK, A BOOK, A BOOK!!" He tried to ignore her at first...but she can be pretty convincing! Out of nowhere and somewhat awkwardly he came around the front of his cart, Mary Alice handed him the book and yes, folks he read the book to her!! On his way back to the back of his cart he noticed that the older lady behind him in line only had a couples of things in her hand and he told her that she could go ahead of him. I am convinced he did this, less out of the kindness of his heart and more because the older woman would be shielding him from having a second round!!
This older woman with no cart, and therefore able to stand right up next to Mary Alice, was victim number two! Again, "A BOOK, A BOOK, A BOOK!!" "Oh, yes, a book! What book are you reading?" "Bear, Bear, Bear!!" At this point Mary Alice has started to turn the pages and is looking at this perfect stranger, wondering why she is not reading to her?!? So the woman put her items on the belt, took the book from Mary Alice and began reading it to her! When she got to the blue horse she said she had never heard of a blue horse before. To which MAK shook her head and said, "NEIGH!!!"
By the end of the book I had finished checking out and made my way to the counters to start bagging. This move left MAK hanging out in the aisle, a great place to find victim number 3!
This very tall and somewhat husky black man came walking by and MAK started with "A BOOK, A BOOK, A BOOK!!" The gentleman walked right past her, without even a hint of acknowledgement! But the woman he was with, who was walking right behind him, stopped and said "Oh No she dit-in-t, she said a book..."
My dad always wanted us to read this book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" I think my daughter has this pretty well figured out!! Only Mary Alice would be able to get two complete strangers to read her a book in the grocery store and have both of them act as though it was the most fun they had had all day!