- Apr 9, 2022
- 2 min read

Snow White and the Witch.

A True Story.

My daughter Sophia started dressing herself at an early age.

And yes, in these pictures, the leotard IS on backwards. She often wore costumes and wigs to school events, and pretty much anywhere we went. There is nothing more magical in the adult world than the imagination of a child.

One day, we went to our amazing grocery store, Dorothy Lane Market, and Sophia was dressed as Snow White.

There is nothing more magical in adult world than the imagination of a child.

We pulled into a parking spot, and as I turned off the engine, my daughter was still chattering away about the color of sprinkles she would be choosing on her DLM cookie. All of a sudden, a big black Mercedes whipped into the spot facing us. It was a bit alarming how quickly it came out of nowhere.

I got out of the car and walked around to the sliding door to release my little princess from her car seat. Snow White jumped out of her seat which was easy with her cool light-up princess sneakers. She stepped to the car’s edge where she liked to jump into my arms.

As she stood there, in all her glory, red and blue velvet bodice over a yellow tulle skirt, we both were startled by the angry slamming of the Mercedes door.

We stared at the woman for a moment. She was dressed all in black, complete with high black boots, and a long black coat that swooshed behind her like a cape. She was thin and had very pretty but sharp features, and dark red lipstick. Her hair was black and cut in a blunt bob just above her shoulders, and her expression was severe. She was all black angles and she was in a big hurry.

Sophia’s eyes were piercing blue and as wide as I had ever seen them.

“Mom!” she shouted. “Oh my gosh MOM! It’s the WITCH!”

I felt like I would melt through the asphalt. Kids just say the wrong thing at the wrong time for us adults who live in the think-it-don’t-say-it world.

I sheepishly glanced over at the woman in black, shooting her a “don’t kids say the darnedest things” smile.

I was met with cold gray eyes, and the look she gave both of us left us withered. She was not amused by this little Snow White calling her a witch. In Sophia’s defense, from her four-year-old perspective, it was a dead-on conclusion.

The witch huffed and strode into the grocery store, no doubt in search of eye of newt, toe of frog, blind-worm’s sting, and maybe to the culinary shop for a new cauldron.

“Sophia!” I whispered. “I think you’re right. Let’s go in and be sure to avoid her…especially if she’s in the apple section!”