SMART COOKIE, by Hal Charles
678 Words
SMART COOKIE,
by Hal Charles
Dorothy Sparrow lovingly put down the picture of her three uniformed daughters. Sure, she was lonely, but Cindy, Carol, and Clara had lives of their own, families and careers now.
She turned on her coffee machine. Maybe, Dorothy admitted to herself, she was just a bit spooked by the morning TV news she had just turned off. The police were warning citizens to be especially wary of a gang of thieves who had been spotted in the area.
It was times like these that caused her to especially miss her husband. Last spring George had walked down to the end of the driveway to fetch the morning paper. She had found him on the concrete. The EMTs had explained he had experienced a fatal coronary event—translation, he had a heart attack.
Ever since that moment Dorothy found herself suffering from what her mother had called “the heebie-jeebies.” So the sudden knock on the front door sounded like her heart trying to break loose from her rib cage. Using the chain George had installed for her, she cracked open the front door. Smiling up at her was a blonde, pre-teen girl standing there with a clipboard and a sash.
“Why you look just like Shirley Temple?” said Dorothy.
“Who’s Shirley Temple?” replied the little girl sweetly.
“Things change,” said Dorothy. What can I do for you? I don’t recognize you. Are you lost?”
“My name is Mary Magee, and I live a couple of streets away.” She pointed south towards the new elementary school.
“How nice! We’re almost neighbors.”
“My mom says we’re all neighbors.”
“And where is your mother now?”
“Down the street with my sister, who’s a Brownie. Mom worries a lot about Jess, but thinks I’m old enough to do some selling on my own.”
Dorothy relaxed, actually enjoying a conversation with a young girl. “And what are you selling, Mary Magee?”
“Scout cookies. All your neighbors have been so kind I just know I’m going to win the troop’s Smart Cookie award for most boxes sold.”
“Why aren’t you in uniform, dear?”
“Like you said, `Things change’.”
“So,” said Dorothy, seeing a little of her own daughters in both Mary’s smile and ambition, “I take it you would like me to buy lots of cookies from you.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“How polite you are,” Dorothy said through the crack. “I’m afraid it’s been so long since we’ve actually had a cookie salesperson ring our doorbell that I’ve forgotten what flavors you have.”
“Well,” said Mary, “I can understand now why our leaders had us memorize all nine classic types.” She smiled proudly. “Here we go in alphabetical order. Do-Si-Dos, Lemon Ups, Oatmeal Chip Wheels, Samoas, S’mores, Tagalongs, Thin Mints, Toffee-Tastics, and Tre-Foils. Whew!”
Dorothy clapped her hands. “That’s quite impressive, Mary.”
“So,” said Mary, pulling a pencil from behind her ear and holding up her clipboard. “Which ones do you want and how many?”
“I have to admit,” said Dorothy, “that my all-time favorite cookie—and George’s too—is S’mores. They remind me of a campfire.”
“I’ll put you down for five boxes since they’re your favorite. How about Thin Mints? Folks find they taste really good right after a meal.”
Dorothy’s mouth watered. “I completely agree with you, Mary. You are such a super-salesperson that I just know you’ll win that Smart Cookie award.”
“I prefer cash,” said Mary, “but I can take a check.”
“When’s delivery?”
“Six weeks from Monday.”
“Wait a minute,” said Dorothy, hesitantly. She walked over to her purse and came back empty-handed. “I forgot. We’re totally out of money, and my husband just went to the bank. He should be back in about an hour. Please come back then.”
SOLUTION
Why did Dorothy hesitate and lie about having the cookie money for Mary in an hour?
When Mary returned, she was met at the door by Detective Cindy Sparrow of the local police’s Fraud Division. Detective Sparrow also rounded up Mary’s “mom” and “sisters,” con artists all.
How had Dorothy known the would-be Smart Cookie was lying? As a former troop leader who had supervised her own daughters’ cookie sales, Dorothy was aware there was not nor had there ever been a Scout cookie called Oatmeal Chip Wheels.
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