How to make guest services get all misty-eyed

I took Zach to a mall this afternoon while Alexandria was at a birthday party. It was a nice Zach-and-Mommy-only time. That so rarely happens. (If ever!) We stopped at the toy store for some Thomas the Tank Engine time and then went for a slice of 'za and some fries in the food court. (I LOVE that they have a cooler to fill up on water with your meal!) After the meal we headed over to where the kiddie mall rides USED to be.... That part of the mall was recently renovated, so I thought maybe they moved them. (The whole point of coming to said mall was the rides. I asked Zach where he wanted to go/what he wanted to do and he said rides at the mall....)

Zach and I went to guest services. I picked Zachary up so he could ask the lady himself. In his best two-year-old sad, little voice he asked, "Where are the rides?" She just looked at me, looking as if she was about to cry and emitted an "Awww." (Not the oh-you're-so-cute awww, but I-hope-you-don't-cry and you're-going-to-make-me-cry awww.) She said to Zach, "Aw, sweetie. They sent them to get fixed. They're not here right now." To which he replied (even more sadly), "Why?" The guest services lady emitted that sound again and turned around for a moment. I jumped in before they both started crying and offered (in an overly excited voice), "How about we go and play with Thomas again?!" That worked.

Before we were off she asked, "How old is he?" "He turned two in April." "Wow. He talks good." (Too bad she didn't....)