zwanzig Eier, bitte

For a few years I’ve been dreaming of sending Thom on a grocery errand.

In Princeton, McCaffrey’s is about a mile from our house. The distance isn’t problematic, but the effort of getting everyone there and controlling them in the store is tiresome.

Three out of the four kids had field trips this morning, and we spent the afternoon at the See Park. By day’s end we were all tired. As we filed into the flat, I remembered I was supposed to stop at the farmers’ market on the way home. We were out of eggs.

Our neighborhood farmers’ market is every Wednesday and Saturday and three blocks from our flat.  I gave Thom a basket, two empty egg cartons, and five euros. The time had come.

He did great.

Thom returned with twenty eggs and a big smile:

“We just spoke German!”

He recited their entire conversation with pride.

I really like how German kids have the freedom to be independent.