The Consequences were Immediate and Devastating!
February 1, 2010, 7:38 am
For months people have been teasing me about my daughter turning 13. Smiling ear to ear as they weaved horrible tales of hormones, attitudes and boys that were going to be conjured up after her ritual thirteenth ceremony of birth.
I’d discounted most of it as hyperbole and reasoned that I am scary enough looking, and crazy enough acting to keep Taylor on track and boys at bay.
But there is a giant hole in my plan…boys don’t know I’m scary and crazy if they’ve never met me. (see: Make her wear a t-shirt with a picture of my face making “prison eyes” on it.)
After hosting a sleepover I had the house back in order and Taylor was downstairs in the computer lab working on homework when I received an IM that aroused a feeling of uneasiness in my stomach.
She was complaining about a boy her age in the computer lab watching a video and not using ear phones…a few minutes later, “he was nice” and they were “talking a little.”
(inner monologue: sex offenders are nice too…until you’re in the back of their van.)
I am unsure how the conversation came back around to her time at the computer lab, because the information that I received next caused a momentary lapse in clarity…it felt like a panic attack that hurts your feelings and then kicks you square in the bits.
“I’m not going to call him.”
“he gave you his number?”
“yeah”
“why? does he deliver pizza, offer a wake up service, is he selling long distance?”
“he’s my age, he can’t deliver pizza”
“yeah so why would you need his number?”
(at this point, I had an even more horrible revelation!)
“did you give him your number?”
“yeah, I didn’t want to be rude…I’m not going to call him”
(I knew it was important not to overreact here)
“Taylor giving your number to a stranger is saying I might be interested in having sex with you.”
(nailed it)
“I don’t think so, I just didn’t want to be rude.”
“I am not angry with you, I just need to collect my thoughts…new rule, you are not allowed to give your number to strangers. If you are involved in an activity with somebody then feel free to exchange numbers but I don’t want some person who we don’t know or have any connection to with your phone number…it’s a safety issue. You didn’t do anything wrong, just blame it on me next time if you don’t want to be rude.”
(horrible revelation 2: there will be a next time.)
Recounting this story, I’m getting that feeling again…
Final Thoughts: From the time Taylor was born until her birthday I’ve felt as if time was moving forward. Now I realize that our time together is really a clock winding down and time running out.
P.S: It was one year ago today Taylor came to live with me. Below is the photo of her first day of school in DC. (See: Sock Gloves)
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