He turned to me, wide-eyed, and seriously said…

“I thought it was abandoned! My niece loves unicorns.”

I stared at him, baffled. The stuffed toy was clearly worn, with my daughter’s name stitched onto its leg.

She ran up, snatching it back with a dramatic, “It’s mine! You thief!” He stammered an apology and walked off in embarrassment.

Back at the bench, my daughter hugged her toy tight, eyeing everyone suspiciously. Lesson learned:

never underestimate the sentimental value of a threadbare unicorn—or a kid’s ability to shout louder than you ever thought possible.