Growing Up

Out with daughter's daughter today, in Totnes. Debs drove us out there (2 seats only in M's car, no trains today). Melissa covered about 8 times more ground than we did, constantly running ahead and back and trying to hide, waiting to jump out. Being 5, she hasn't yet realised we know exactly where she is, all the time. I ended up with her, at top of town, at the market, while M and Debs were supporting Totnes' fragile economy in various shoe shops. She got bored with me looking at the books, after I wouldn't buy her bubbles (she got a hat and a small tiger).
I spotted her wandering off, keeping up with a man, so I broke off and followed her. After about 20 metres, she looked up at her walking companion, jumped in startled horror, in non-recognition, only to find me 3 metres behind. Oh how me and the other guy laughed (he was from forren, making our amusement the greater, rather than suspicious)as did the watching market traders. Her embarrassment lead to 10 minutes of playing the idiot, like hiding behind stuff, like an elephant hiding behind a stick. She made me promise not to tell M, so I am putting it on the web instead.
Her chat is like a gas: it expands to fill the available space, but at last she is getting old enough to be charming company, like when I sent her up to the waiter in the cafe to doggy bag her chocolate cake, she collapsed in shyness until I intervened and mouthed to the waiter what she wanted.
Before we went out out, Melissa did two things of note: she washed up our lunch things, even though she only had a chocolate biscuit ("it's OK, Mum makes me do ALL the chores at home" (a claim which didn't bear up under detailed questioning, obviously)); and then she was hiding under the kitchen table (eyes shut so we couldn't see her). I banged the chair next to her, she jumped, and her head made a satisfying "clunk" with the underside of the table. Result!