"Do you think anyone will ever pay you to do anything?"

I brought up my latest anxiety to the 8-year-old I babysit. We were walking and borrowing/stealing flowers from yards. She can name every type of plant in Southern California. It's a cool skill. She isn't paid for it.

"No. Probably not." she answered "I want to be an actress, but I don't think anyone will give me money to do that."

Almost every kid I've met in LA wants to be an actor. We'd been practicing her lines for her a play she's in, Little Women, speaking in a different accent each round. The only accent she can do is New York, and she does it so well that it makes up for not knowing any others.

"When I start my job it will be the first time someone will be paying me to do something. I'm a little scared." It was a good opportunity for her to point out that I'm paid to spend time with her and she missed it.

"What are you gonna be doing?" asked the girl who may not realize I'm paid to spend time with her.

"Writing commercials."

"You can do that, you've done it before. Remember, you wrote 'Choosy moms choose Jif.'"

"No, that was on the side of the peanut butter jar."

"The jar came with that on it?"

"Yeah."

"Huh. Well, the peanut butter jars you write will be even better. They're going to be so funny and weird."

She handed me a sprig of lavender, switched to a New York accent, and continued:

"And now, every time I see anything, I'm going to know you made it. I'll think of that every time I miss you. Ya knaw? Ah mean Gawd! His pawr motha!

I'd pay her to say things like that.