Every Sunday, my mom used to take me to the St. Lawrence Market. Every Sunday, I asked if I could have a balloon animal from the guy standing next to Whitehouse Meats. And every Sunday, she said no.

So eventually I stopped asking, but I didn’t give up. Whenever she was choosing between chicken and roast beef for dinner, I watched. I watched him make hats, giraffes, dogs and swords. I spent so many Sundays watching the balloon man that eventually, I learned.

When my parents bought a balloon animal kit for my little sister’s birthday, I knew it was my time to shine. My mother, shocked at my abilities, then asked me “where’d you learn to do that?”