On a cold spring afternoon, while walking home from school, i detoured through the playground at the end of our alley. i saw a group of old men, two seated across a folding table playing a game of chess, others smoking pipes, eating peanuts, and watching. i ran home and grabbed vincent’s chess set, which was bound in a cardboard box with rubber bands. i also carefully selected two prized rolls of life savers. i came back to the park and approached a man who was observing the game.

“want to play? ” i asked him. his face widened with surprise and he grinned as he looked at the box under my arm.

“little sister, been a long time since i play with dolls,” he said, smiling benevolently. i quickly put the box down next to him on the bench and displayed my retort.

what is the primary conflict in the excerpt?