On Mommyhood and Teasing
"Mom, I'm not going to tell you who I played with today." My mommy radar goes up. "Oh really? Was it someone younger than you?" "Nope, it wasn't a girl at all." "Oh, was it a boy then?" "Yeah," Then comes a story of innocent teasing as is common with most children. It's nothing major. But it hurts. As she sits there, shoulders heaving with the effort of unloading, my mind races back. I'm in sixth grade. We're in line for the restroom. He stands a few people behind me in the boys' line. The cool guy. The cute one. "Nicole has a little horse, little horse, little horse. Nicole has a little horse, and oh she loves it so." He sings. Innocent? Maybe, but it was done in jest and it stung. I shrunk a little inside myself to keep from crying. I wanted to hide. The teacher didn't notice. I felt ashamed by my love for horses. "I just don't get it. I mea...