The Buoy

On Thursday evening, Mom, Ralph, Ayla and I headed down to the Jazz Festival to enjoy the music, crowds, dogs and shopping. We walked almost to the end of the festival and then decided to walk back on the beach. Ayla asked if she could walk in the sand, which I said was fine after hesitating and explaining the reasons for my hesitation (sand between toes, no towel to wipe them off, sand in shoes, etc.) Along the way, Ayla says to me, "Auntie Tanya, look, I can see my shadow." She is pointing out at the lake, even though the shadow created by the street lamps was in front of her on the sand.
"Your shadow is right there, sweetie." I said, pointing to her shadow on the sand.
"No, the one out there." Ayla points out to a whitish glimmer on the lake.
I look out and, in the haze, realize she is pointing to one of the buoys that mark the swim/boat line in the water.
"No," I say, "that is a buoy."
Ayla then says, "There is a little boy out in the water?!?!"
I lean over a grab my knees to steady mayself I am laughing so hard. I explain that no, not a "BOY", but a "BUOY". The rest of the way home we looked for Little Buoys in the water.