"You're that lady," said Clarissa, looking up at the woman flicking through the greeting cards.
"I am not," said the woman.
"Yes you are. I saw you on telly."
"Telly?" said the woman, and Clarissa nodded. "Telly," repeated the woman.
"In a film," said Clarissa.
"It weren't me, young lady," said the woman.
"Yeah it was. You've got the same face, only I can't see all of it cos of your sunglasses but you've got the same bits round 'em so I reckon you're that lady," said Clarissa, nodding.
"Cos of your sunglasses, same bits round 'em, I reckon'" said the woman. "I'm not that lady. I'm just looking for a birthday card."
"You talk funny," said Clarissa. "Who's birthday is it? My Daddy's is tomorrow," she added.
The woman looked quickly up at the display.
"My...husband's. Don't say people talk funny, it isn't polite. I don't talk funny."
"You do a bit. That that man you were kissing on telly?"
"That that? My husband? Probably not. I'm not on...telly."
"Oh. My name's Clarissa," said Clarissa, holding up her hand.
"I'm...Sarah," said the woman, shaking it.
"How old is your husband going to be? My Daddy is going to be thirty-seven. Mummy's looking for some nice wrapping paper, but she doesn't want yellow or some with amnals."
"Amnals?"
"Yeah cos I like some with horses on in the othe shop but Mummy said Daddy wouldn't like it cos Daddies don't like anything yellow or with horses."
"Oh, animals," said the woman. "Wondered what you were talkin'bout for a second there. Amnals, huh?"
Clarissa nodded.
"You sounded normal then. Not, like, normal normal, but normal for telly. Not funny."
"Funny, huh."
"Are you getting a present? I'm giving Daddy a picture I did in school."
"A picture I did in school," said the woman.
"Are we playing a game?" asked Clarissa.
"What?"
"Are we playing that game where you say everything I say?" asked Clarissa.
"No, no," said the woman. "Just...listening, Clarissa, that's all."
A blonde woman at the other side of the shop began calling for Clarissa.
"You'd better get back to your Mommy," said the woman.
Clarissa nodded.
"Bye Sarah," said Clarissa. "I hope you find a card."
"Thank you," said the woman.
Clarissa's mother stepped into the aisle.
"There you are," she said. " I thought you'd gone and got lost."
"Oh no!" said the woman. "She hadn't gone and got lost at all."
Clarissa's mother picked Clarissa up and looked at the woman for a moment.
"I hope she ain't been bothering you," said Clarissa's mother.
The woman smiled widely and brilliantly.
"No," she said, "she ain't. She's lovely."
Clarissa's mother hesitated briefly before walking away.
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
Clarissa and her mother left the shop, and the woman moved to a keyring display near the front doors and eavesdropped on the cashiers for a while before walking into the busy street.
