Last weekend, I stopped at a tiny non-descript lemonade stand in my home town. The owner of the stand was a six-year-old girl named Lucy. “50 cents a glass,” she said, “or two for a dollar – and then you get a third one as a gift.”

I was confused, and said, “So, then it’s three for a dollar, right?”

But she insisted and said, slightly annoyed with me as if I had made fun of her or was not getting her point, “No, it’s two for a dollar. And then you get another one as a gift!”

I gave in and said, “Okay, I’ll take two for a dollar.”

I sipped my lemonade and it was hands-down the best lemonade I have ever had – and Lucy knew it. The amount of freckles she had on her face represented the amount of summer that she had put into her lemonade. It was delicious, rich in ripe meyer lemons, a tad of cane sugar, and maybe a hint of maple syrup, and lot’s of love – pungent, not too sweet, not too sour, just perfect.

The lemonade was so good that for a moment I forgot her initial offer.

As I was saying thank you and turning around to walk away, she held up another cup and said with a big smile, “Mister – and this one here, is for you – from me.”

I got it. I was reminded of the power and beauty of keeping a deal a deal in this world of “Three for Two’s” and “Buy-One-Get-One-Free” – and then truly receiving a gift in addition.

Lucy was six and already knew the difference. Good for her.

Posted in Appreciate, Blog, Think |