Can someone please explain to me, what is it about Chick-fil-A? Is there heroin in the batter or something? Because my child, who does not like meat of any kind, and needs to be force fed chicken particularly, is obsessed with that place like Jay Leno is obsessed with cars. I'd say it was because of the play area, but there are a lot of restaurants that have a play area and none so preferred as this one in my child's mind.

A new one was built in our area about a year ago and we stopped in one day just after The Dormouse turned two. There's been a longstanding love affair between the two since. Whenever someone asks her what she wants to eat, it's Chick-fil-A. If we drive by one in a new place, she begins screaming, "Chick-fil-A, Chick-fil-A, I saw Chick-fil-A!!!!" and kicking her legs in excitement. Whatever Truett Cathy did when coming up with that idea, he did it right.

Yesterday, we had to make a run up to the bank around 10:30 am. Suddenly, I realize that were stopped at a red light at the infamous place known in our family as The Chick-fil-A Intersection. I'm silently praying (as we always do when we go through this light) that she doesn't notice that it's within a stone's throw of the car when I hear a plaintive and extremely transparent voice from the backseat say:

"Hmmmm. I'm hungry. We should think about lunch, don't you think? Momma, where we gonna go for lun.... (*interrupts self*) HEEEEEY! We're right by Chick-fil-A... and I'll bet they're open!"

Mom says nothing... just laughs silently to self.

"Here's the deal mom. We...... (*begins counting off on fingers*) go get some ice cream, go to the bank, then go to Chick-fil-A... because they're open."

Me, privately impressed by how she managed to also throw the ice cream in there too: "I don't think so hon... we should go home for lunch and use up some of the food that Daddy bought at the grocery store last night."

Pensive thought, then: "OK... How 'bout a driffent deal?"