I Can Guess Your Age

He will try to outguess my age. It is as easily done as guessing the number of seeds inside a melon. I stand still, thinking he will never get anywhere near it. He is a handsome man, a carnival barker. I am the mother of three daughters, dressed in short shorts and knee socks. I think I look 17. He looks deeply into my eyes. I do not flinch. 28 he says. The state fair crowd goes nuts screaming at him. They are calling him all kinds of mean things. I put my hand straight up in the air. They wait, wondering. I am 28, I announce. The yelling stops. They scurry off quickly. The man smiles at me. I wonder at his magic.