My wife and I were given the opportunity to raise our Granddaughter Samantha from a very young age. She came into our lives on a permanent bases along with her brother Clint because... well just because...
Samantha or as we call her Sam was just a little thing. She at birth was found to have a very rare condition that did not allow her liver to function properly. Due to the condition her stature was that of a very small child for most of her childhood.
Now for some.... this would have been something that some would have used as an excuse to get away with things.... Not Sam... From the start it just became part of her life and she accepted it.
But God gave Sam a remedy so people would not noticing how small she was, he gave her a Golden Smile and a Dimple right below it on her chin.... The combination of these two attributes once seen by just about anyone would allow her to win their hearts away with immediately, and what was worse.... she knew it...
I can remember once even at the age of about 2 years old when we were at a eatery, Sam decided she didn't want to eat her pasta. To push the point that she didn't want to east she pushed her point by calmly taking a long noodle and casually reaching out and dropping it on the floor besides to the floor. Now in our home manners are considered priority and in a public area even more. Noticing what she had done I reached down, picked up the strand of pasta, looked her straight in the eyes and calmly told "Sam... don't do that, that's not nice".
She sat for a minute with a frown, then casually selected another piece and reaching out with pasta between forefinger and thumb held it there for a second to make sure I was seeing her and dropped it but this time with the "Smile and Dimple" tactic. Which she knew stole my heart with each application. I had to turn away so she didn't see me smiling which I couldn't help doing... But... What she didn't realize was "Grandma" soon to be "Mom" had noticed her tactics from across the table. Needless to say Grandma was not won over so easily even though she too was giggling as she said "John".... And Granddad, soon to be Father, had to straighten his smile and "take care of the matter".
Over the years the "Flash-Bang" effect of her smile and dimple saved her or helped her "get her way" in many, many occasions. She also learn quickly that it seemed to work on the men in her life more than the female gender even though it still had it's effect on them too. From Father to Grandfather, Schoolmates, Friends and later on in life that "special young man" she had decided to win over fell under the spell of the "Flash-Bang" smile of my darling ,who I proudly call My Daughter.
She also grew out of the "small child" stature once she reached the Early Teen years and now you would never know it by looking at her. She is all grown up now. She made it through the Teen years not without trips and stumbles but she has made it through. Many a heart was stolen by her smile and dimple and if asked today each would probably admit that she still has a little of them with her still.
She still has the same effect on people. All it takes is one look at her to now that she is a person to be reckoned with but also to be able to learn quickly to love.
Just the other day, as she and her "steady" pulled up to our home I watched as she applied the Flash-Bang" to him after realizing she had forgotten her drink in the car as they walked up to me on our patio where I was sitting. 'Oh babe, I forgot my drink... Could you go get it for me". His answered "Yea I get it in a little bit." She called his name, he turned... FLASH-BANG and he turned to retrieve the drink.
Then she turned back to me and FLASH-BANG..... what can I say....
