The Saturday farmer's market hummed with noise and color. Leo held his mom's hand tightly. They walked past canvas tents smelling of sweet strawberries and fresh dirt.
A giant, shiny tower of apples caught his eye. He stepped away from his mom. He reached out to touch an extra-smooth, bright red peel.
"Look how big!" he said, turning around. But a smiling face wasn't there. He saw only unfamiliar knees, floppy hats, and bright shirts brushing past.
His empty canvas tote bag slipped from his fingers. It hit the dusty pavement with a soft thud.
A loud accordion player marched right past him. The tall man played a bouncy, booming tune.
Above the bustling aisles, heavy canvas flags flapped in the warm breeze. Brightly painted wooden arrows pointed toward different stalls against the clear blue sky.
Leo took a deep breath. He remembered his mom's top safety rule. Freeze your feet. Find a worker. He planted his red sneakers firmly on the ground.
He scanned the rushing sea of busy shoppers. Through a gap in the crowd, a flour-dusted apron caught his eye. A friendly baker was arranging giant, twisted pretzels.
Leo marched right up to the pretzel stand. He gripped the rough wooden edge of the thick counter tight.
"Excuse me, I lost my mom," he said loudly. He stared straight up at the friendly baker.
The baker gave a gentle, reassuring smile. He reached over the counter and handed Leo a warm, salty pretzel.
Ding, ding, ding! The baker rang a shiny silver bell. He held it high overhead to call the market manager.
"Leo!" A familiar clear voice cut through the noise. His mom rushed from the crowd and scooped him into a big, squashy hug.
Leo took a crunchy bite of his pretzel and pointed to the baker. "I froze my feet and found a worker!" he said with a wide, crumbly grin.
