Free Samples, Anyone?

What?! Where?!



I am quite aware that when put in the same sentence, the very words "free" and "sample" poise most members of my family for a stampede.



I'll admit that while "free" is still my favorite price, I do not love free samples. Free samples fall into two categories for me:



1. Needless clutter.

or

2. Needless calories.



I'm sorry.
I realize that when it is hot outside I am uncharacteristically cranky.

And it is inhumanely hot outside.

I'm burning.
I'm melting.
Wah.



I digress...



Today, on this very HOT Arizona day, I experienced the mother of all free sample detestable experiences.



This is worse than the baby dropping his free chocolate ice-cream blob through the leg holes in the cart right onto mommy's expensive shoes.



Worse than the free salsa sample my son generously brought to me in the grocery store while forgetting to mention that it came from the side of the display table with the cutout cardboard flames.



Today on this VERY VERY HOT Arizona day (Read: I was already cranky and I knew it.) it was business as usual: My kids had just returned from a field trip and I was signing them out to come home. I was looking for my kids amongst hundreds of kids and 15-20 camp counselors in purple camp shirts when I heard a familiar voice.



Adriana's voice.

Adriana's very very loud excited voice.



She was coming towards me out of the crowd shouting something and holding something high above her head in plain sight - a souvenier from her trip.



"Mom!! Mom!! I got these for you, and they were free, FREE!"



At this point lots of fellow campers and their parents were also interested in looking on to see what she was so excited about.



No... No... no-no-no-no it couldn't be.



Yes, yes it was.



"Tam-poons Mom, look! And they were free so I got them for you! Cool, huh?"



















Um, thank you?