Harriet the Spy in Vista, CA: Selected Notes and Quotes

By Laura, May 30, 2011

In the car:

“It was a good little car, except that you had to push it everywhere.”
A neighbor in patched overalls and a purple cap approaches the car with a couple of newspapers in his hand, says, “Now, I know you can’t start your day without your Wall Street Journal,” and sticks around to chat for a few minutes before we’re on our way to the aquarium.

At the aquarium:

“Where were you?” – “A kid was asking me questions.” – “And you knew the answers?” – “I read them off the wall.”
A boy, maybe as old as twelve, is the oldest kid there, too big to push between people and press his nose against the glass the way the smaller kids do. Instead, he crosses his arms and sighs when adults are in his way, says “excuse me” like he’s reciting it, and generally makes his presence known.
A baby with more hair than seems humanly possible watches everyone from the safety of his mother’s shoulder.

At the Strawberry Festival:

Three teenage girls find a booth with posters and bumper stickers for the movie, “Bad Teacher,” then proceed to take photos of themselves with the posters and bumper stickers in various stages of elation.
An elderly woman with a curly-haired dog, small enough to fit in one hand, peruses a booth of dog toys, waving each toy in the little dog’s face. When asked about the dog, she says he’s a teacup something-or-other, and that he weighs two pounds.
A somewhat short man wearing very large shorts walks a pit bull on a thick chain and the pit bull smiles at everyone.
A company that sells fake grass has laid out a patch in the center of the walkway, and people are careful not to walk on it.
Near the petting zoo, a pony stands tethered to a chain link fence, staring patiently toward the middle school as passers pet and coo.