Personal Voice

Annie was excited. School was coming up, and this would be her first year deciding for herself what to buy. Annie’s mother allotted money to each child who was eight and older to purchase clothes and other things they needed to teach the children about budgeting.

Previously, Annie’s mother felt she was too young and purchased items for her. However, this year, Annie was eight and would participate in this event with the older children.

The first place they decided to go was to the secondhand store. They had all learned that money went much farther there than at department stores, and often the goods they found there were just fine.

When they arrived at the store, their mother assigned them in pairs to help each other. Since there was an odd number of children, and this was Annie’s first year, her mother accompanied her. Annie felt so grownup. Her mother said she’d only give advice if Annie asked for it.

As they headed to the girls’ clothes, they passed the toy aisle. A stuffed toy caught Annie’s eye, and she didn’t know why. She paused and went to it. It was a pink flamingo. For some reason, she had a strange desire to have it that she didn’t understand. She cuddled it close.

Still, wanting to be frugal, she put the flamingo back on the shelf and went to the clothes. Annie’s mother had watched the whole thing and never said a word, though Annie felt she had a strange look on her face. Maybe she could see Annie’s longing and thought it was silly.

As Annie shopped for the school clothes, her mind kept going back to the flamingo. Why did she like it so much? It was quite tattered. When she had cuddled it up, she had noticed it was missing one of its wings. There were definitely far better-looking toys there.

Annie found some nice clothes and filled out her wardrobe with what she wanted. She got a few other things she wanted, too. Her mother complimented her on her frugality and good taste. Annie felt proud of herself.

As they took their shopping cart and headed to the front to join her siblings in checking out, she had to pass the toy aisle again. Once more, she was drawn to the flamingo. She paused and held it close. A warm feeling of comfort that she didn’t understand flooded over her. She turned it over and looked at the price. It was only fifty cents, and she had a few dollars left. But what would her mother think of her strange purchase?

Annie turned to her mother. “Is it okay if I buy this? It’s only fifty cents.”

Annie’s mother’s voice quivered as she answered. “Annie, it’s your money.”

Annie carefully set the flamingo in the cart, then pushed it to the checkout stand. She wondered what her siblings would think of her toy. But she was surprised when her oldest sister, Susan, pulled it from the cart, turned to their mother and asked, “Is this . . .?”

She never finished before their mother held her finger to her lips, indicating for Susan to say no more. Annie wondered if Susan would make fun of it. But instead, she smiled at Annie and said, “This is a sweet flamingo.”

When they got home, Annie asked Susan if she thought buying the flamingo was stupid.

Susan smiled and pulled her close. “When you were two, you got really sick, and we all worried you wouldn’t make it. I was ten, and I gave you my favorite stuffed animal, a pink flamingo, to help you get better. You loved that flamingo for years. But one day, she lost her wing, and you were heartbroken. So, to help you, Mom removed the flamingo from your room.”

Suddenly, Annie thought of something. She ran to her room and brought back a little pink cloth she had tucked in her drawer and wondered about for years. She put it up to the flamingo, and it was the missing wing. Susan smiled, and their mother promised to sew it on as good as new.

“By the way,” Susan said, “her name is ‘Pinky’.”