Diamonds are a Pepper's Best Friend.

This is an actual conversation between me and the Pepper at our favorite local restaurant. Let me set the stage:

Cheeburger Cheeburger is a small chain of 50/60’s family-style sock-hop looking restaurants. Along with the music of the time, they have life-size cardboard cutout of various people, including James dean, Betty Boop and Marilyn Monroe. Pepper, two years old is eating her French fries when she spies the Marilyn Monroe cutout on the back door of the restaurant.

Pepper: Look! (Pointing at Marilyn) Dat me!

Me: That’s not you; that’s Marilyn Monroe.

Pepper: No, dat’s ME! Look, she have strong arms. (She flaps her arms delicately like a bird.) I have strong arms. She have a pretty, pretty dress. I have a pretty, pretty dress. She have…(Pepper opens her mouth and points to her teeth)…big teeth and a smile. I have big teeth and a smile. She have long hair. I have long hair.

Me: You don’t have long hair. And your hair is red, sweetie.

Pepper: (Undaunted-) She have nose, and cheeks and ears! I have nose, cheeks and ears.
Pepper: Gasp- LOOK! She have little, little shoes. I have little, little shoes! Dat me!
The last line was delivered with such authority; there was no denying her argument.

Me: Ok, that’s you.

Pepper: I go touch me.

At which point she ran over and gently rubbed the arm of Marilyn.

Pepper: (To the three tables of people who had heard the conversation and were now watching her every move.) DAT ME!