The "Gettin' Breakfast" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Standing in line to buy my morning croissants at the Yellow Submarine along Bikini Beach in St. Martin.  All but a few days of my stay on the island, I stand in line at the small shop that sells French breakfast treats.  Prices are displayed in Euros rather than US dollars, but that's because St. Martin is the French side of the island while Sint Maarten is the Dutch side of the island.  The island is the smallest inhabited island in the world that is shared by two countries.  Crossing the border is easy, since all you do is drive past the boundary markers from one country into the other.  No passport is needed.  Well, today I have my eye on the apple and chocolate croissants.  Another gentleman is ordering his at present.  He evidently is a tourist with his plaid shorts, stripped shirt, black socks and black leather shoes making him stick out in the line of customers who are mostly French (I try to dress like the locals with flip flops, old t-shirt and ragged shorts).  Directly in front of me is a very small young boy who I passed while driving to the store.  He was riding his scooter and I had to stop to allow him to cross the street.  No shoes, white shorts, sleeveless orange shirt and a cap that he has pulled down over his ears.  He definitely belongs here ....  aka, not a tourist.  The woman in front of us has just purchased a couple of small quiches (remarkably tasty) and steps out of line.  The clerk says to me, "Bonjour, Sir."  I look at her, saying nothing, and point to the young boy in front of and below me.  She looks over the counter to see him and says, "Bonjour," to him.  He ordered two chocolate croissants and one French baguette.  He hands her his folded money and she returns a few coins to him.  He stuffs it back in his zippered pouch, turns and looks at me and says, "Merci."  I wink my eye, nod my head and he is gone.  As I give my order to the clerk I look back and see him on his scooter, attempting to hold his purchases with one hand without dropping them while trying to steer his scooter. Good start to my day as always.  How could they be anything but good, since I have my delicious croissants in hand. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.