Millie Benjamin operates from a stand in her front yard.
PLYMOUTH, Minn. — Even on dreary days, the glow of compliments illuminates Millie Benjamin.
Glancing at her older sibling, Hazel, Millie lands one of many she’ll deliver today.
“She’s a very good sister,” the 9-year-old says.
It’s nothing Millie’s mother, Holly Benjamin, hasn’t heard before.
“She’s just been a compliment girl from the start,” she says.
Millie offers one up for her mom.
“She has mesmerising green eyes,” Millie says fondly.
Millie’s dad, Josh Benjamin, gets more than his share, too.
“Every day I leave for work, she tells me I look very handsome,” he says.
The Benjamin home can barely contain so many compliments.
Fortunately, it doesn’t have to.
A car pulls up at the end of the Benjamin’s driveway.
“I’m giving free compliments,” Millie tells the driver. “Do you want one?”
Some kids sell lemonade. Millie set up a stand in her front yard to give compliments.
“I’m spell-bounded by your sense of fashion,” Millie tells Miguel Auchcama, who’s stopped his pickup in the street.
“It’s really nice,” he says.
Millie’s hand-drawn “FREE COMPLIMENTS” signs direct traffic off busy Northwest Boulevard in Plymouth.
It wasn’t the signs, but Millie’s reputation that attracted Plymouth police officer Haley Briesch, dressed in her full uniform when she received her compliment from Millie.
“Even though you have all this stuff for robbers,” Millie tells the well-equipped cop, “they might just be knocked out because of your beauty.”
That compliment earns Millie both a smile and a hug.
Steve Kuzmeski was driving past when he saw one of Millie’s signs. He came back.
“You have very good clothing,” Millie tells the smartly dressed man.
“I have a pretty crappy day today,” Steve says, “so having her talk to me like that today was really nice.”
The compliment stand was Millie’s idea. Initially, her parents weren’t so sure.
“I was actually a little worried that people were going to think we’re nuts,” Holly says.
She should have trusted her daughter’s instincts.
“People came,” Holly says.
Millie’s mom is protective of both her daughter’s safety and her feelings. While giving Millie space, Holly is never too far away to make sure Millie’s kindness if being properly received.
“I’m spell-bounded by your beauty,” Millie tells Alexa Sharp, who’s in the passenger seat of her dad’s pick-up.
“This, like, made my whole entire day,” Alexa says, smiling.
Mollie’s motivation is simple.
“Seeing people happy makes me happy,” she says.
As his rig idles a few feet away, Plymouth firefighter Adam Kragthrope introduces himself to Millie.
True to form, Millie responds, “Well, that’s a very handsome name.”
Millie could probably earn a few bucks making people feel so good. But if someone dares reach for their wallet or purse, Millie quickly puts a stop to it.
“No one should pay to be happy,” she tells a woman through an open car window.
After receiving a compliment of his own, mail carrier Mitalo White says Millie is teaching lessons beyond simple compliments. “Let’s you know there’s still kindness and humanity,” Mitalo says.
Sawyer Radermacher seemed especially moved by Millie’s kindness.
“I drove by and I started crying because the world needs more joy,” he tells Millie.
In turn, Millie gives Sawyer a hug.
“Don’t be sad,” she tells him.
“These are not tears of sadness, these are tears of joy,” Sawyer tells her.
Based on the steady stream of traffic pulling up in front of the Benjamin home on an otherwise dank fall afternoon, the world might just be ready for Millie to start franchising.
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