(I take my 5-year-old son to the shoe store for new sneakers. He, being a free spirit, chooses the pink sparkly sneakers. I ask the salesman to bring up a pair in his size.)

Me: *hands salesman pink sample sneakers* “Can you bring up a pair in size 4?”

Salesman: “…But it’s pink.”

Me: “Yes. Please get size 4″.  

Salesman: “But… but… he is a boy!”.   

Me: “Yes, I know. My son’s favorite color is pink. Please get him these sneakers in size 4.”   

(Instead of getting the sneakers, the salesman goes to the manager.)

Salesman: “That boy wants to try on this sneaker!”

Manager: ”What did Mom say?”

Salesman: ”The mother said to get them.”

Manager: “Then go get them!

(The manager then glanced at me, with a rueful smile and shake of the head. My boy finally got his sneakers and loved them. Not that the color mattered: within a week, they were so mud covered they were hardly pink anymore, as usual!)