Out of Order

Sophie has unaccountably grown to love her Sponge Bob Square Pants money and credit card book. It tells the story of Sponge Bob buying things. It came with a toy credit card and toy sand dollars and a little price scanner you could scan the prices in the books with.

It had long since run out of batteries and/or broken.

Tonight she found the credit card and held it up to us.

"This used to work. One time."

We agreed that indeed, it had.

"Maybe this need new batteries. Maybe you can change the batteries."

Well yes, we said, we would try that. But it might be broken and then new batteries wouldn't help.

She considered this silently for a moment. And then said: "I bet this electricity is broken" with an air of weary resignation. "Maybe this electricity is broken."

Well, we'll just try it anyway, we told her. We'll try new batteries.

"Yes," she said. And then she had an idea: "Maybe you can plug this in."

Well, no. There's no place to—

"Maybe you plug, plug this in and it works."

Okay, goose, we'll try.