One afternoon, two young boys walked into a small neighborhood pharmacy. They didn’t look lost at all. In fact, they moved through the aisles with the serious faces of people who knew exactly what they were looking for.
The older boy, who was about eight, led the way while his little brother, only four, followed close behind. After checking a few shelves, the older boy finally stopped, picked up a box of tampons, and carried it proudly to the checkout.
The pharmacist looked at the boys, then at the box, trying not to smile.
“Well now,” he said gently, “how old are you, son?”
“I’m eight,” the older boy replied proudly.
The pharmacist nodded and leaned a little closer.
“And do you know what these are used for?”
The boy shrugged.
“Not exactly,” he said. “They’re not for me. They’re for my little brother.”
The pharmacist raised his eyebrows and glanced at the four-year-old.
“For your little brother?”
“Yes,” the boy said seriously.
Trying his best not to laugh, the pharmacist asked, “And why does your little brother need these?”
The older boy looked at him as if the answer was obvious.
“We saw the commercial on TV,” he explained. “It said that if you use these, you can swim, play tennis, and ride a bike.”
Then he pointed at his little brother and added,
“And he can’t do any of those things yet.”
