Sons And Daughters
I’m standing in line at Wells Fargo, and there’s a man across the way waiting to speak to a personal banker. He’s sitting on the couch in the waiting area watching his two children, a young boy and girl. Growing up with only a younger brother, I can imagine what it’s like raising boys, but I don’t have much info on what it’s like to have a little princess to look after. I wonder what opinions this guy can share on the topic as his daughter scribbles something on a sheet of paper and his son crawls up the chair and rests his head on dad’s back.
The line moves and I wonder if the stereotype that girls are more pleasant as young children is unfair. After all, Jon and I were very well-behaved and polite children. Surely, we weren’t that much of a rarity, and there must be plenty of considerate and amiable boys out there working hard to restore the reputation of our gender. For all I know, this man may very well enjoy his son far more than his daughter.
The line turns the corner and I’m facing the family’s direction. The girl continues doodling, and the boy is now sitting on his father’s shoulders joyfully playing with his hair. “See? The girl is completely disconnected and unsocial. The little guy is playing with his dad and they’re both having a great time. Maybe my theory isn’t that far off after all,” I think to myself.
The moment I finish my thought, the little girl stands up and proudly hands the paper to her father. “I drew you and mommy! Do you like it?”
“This is beautiful, sweetie! Mommy is going to love this,” the father replies as an irrepressible smile lights up his face.
Suddenly, I remember the saying about how when you assume you make an ass of [you] and me.
The daughter hugs dad’s leg. Everyone within five feet melts into a puddle of awwww.
In what I imagine is cuteness war retaliation, the son wraps his arms around dad’s forehead, essentially turning himself into a hug hat.
“See? Boys aren’t so bad,” I think to myself.
Still clutching onto his father’s face, the boy announces, “I just farted on your head.”
“Really?”
“Yeah [giggle].”
“I thought I felt something..”
Well, so much for my hypothesis.
