The conversation lasted two words:

"Please?"

"No."

Afterwards, Katy wondered if she and Daddy had actually been talking about the same thing or not. Maybe he thought she still wanted to have ponies at her birthday party. Didn't he know she had gotten over that already? Or maybe he figured she was asking for a sip of that grown-up drink he had been holding.

She resolved to sort things out. That evening, when he arrived home from work, Katy shuffled meekly into the kitchen and said, "Daddy..."

"No," he replied brusquely. But his eyes said something different.

Embolded, Katy blurted out, "All I want is a Pop Star Barbie because she's super pretty and cool and I want to be a singer and she only costs $7.99 and I know that because I saw her in the store with Mommy and I've been a good girl and I just wanted to make sure that you actually knew what I was asking for!"

Daddy knelt down, took her hand, smiled, and said, "No."

Katy's shoulders slumped and her cute little mouth pouted. "Cindy has one," she said.

Daddy gathered her into his arms. "She does?" he said. "Well, did she have ponies at her birthday party?"