After the SAM graduation, the family went to Hell’s Kitchen for lunch. M was clutching her trophy with pride, and the waitress naturally asked about it. M explained that it was for playing guitar, and the waitress was delighted.
About five minutes later, the waitress brought over the restaurant’s owner. He plays guitar and he thought it was very cool that a five-year-old was playing; he had never heard of such a thing. He asked about her guitar, wondering aloud if she was really playing something like a mandolin. I showed him her guitar, which delighted him.
Then he announced that he had an extra prize for M because he thought it was so cool that she was playing guitar: A free, autographed copy of the Hell’s Kitchen cookbook. (We had a little TMI moment when I asked him to personalize it, but he declined because of tremors caused by his medication.)