"OH, THAT'S TOO BAD. CATS ARE NICE. I LOVE SKIPPY A LOT."

THE CHILD SMILED AND NODDED. SHE LIKED THE BAD LADY.

"PICKING DANDELIONS? FOR YOUR MOTHER, I'LL BET..

THE CHILD NODDED AGAIN. SHE FELT A TWINGE OF GUILT, BECAUSE SHE LIKE THE BAD LADY, AND MOMMY HAD TOLD HER NOT TO.

"I USED TO PICK DANDELIONS TOO, WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL."

THE CHILD MOVED A STEP CLOSER, "FOR YOUR MOTHER?"

"OH YES, SHE LIKE THEM. DOES YOUR MOTHER LIKE THEM?"

"SOMETIMES..

"MY MOTHER LIKED THEM SOMETIMES TOO; BUT I LIKE THEM ALL THE TIME. I LIKED THE WAY THEY CHANGED FROM ROUND YELLOW BUTTONS TO SILVERY WHITE PUFF-BALLS. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN ABOUT THEM?"

"OH YES. I BLOW ON THEM, AND THE WHITE FUZZ BLOKS ALL OVER."

"I DID THAT TOO, YEARS AGO...BUT SINCE THEN I'VE BEEN DOING THE SAME WITH OTHER THINGS, LIKE TIME. .DAYS BLOW AWAY LIKE THAT. .AND LOVE DOES TOO. GIRLIE, DID YOU KNOW THAT LOVE IS

LIKE A DANDELION?"

THE CHILD SHOOK HER HEAD.

"WELL, IT IS. IT GROWS WILD, AND BLOSSOMS; AND THEN ONE DAY IT TURNS INTO A WHITE PUFF-BALL, AND THE SLIGHTEST BREEZE BLOWS IT AWAY. YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT, DID YOU?"

"NO MA'M,"

"YOU'LL FIND IT OUT SOMEDAY, GIRLIE."

"HOW DID YOU FIND IT OUT?"

"I FELL IN LOVE."