February 4, 2008

Probably Not The Best Lesson, But One Of The Few I Know

She's 4, and she's sobbing and chasing her brother, five, around the room.  "Stop!" she yells, "stop!  I'm trying to tell you something!  Stop!"

He's giggling, running away from her, he thinks its fun, a game.  Laughing so much he's drooling.

"Stop!!!!" hysterically.

I'm exhausted, exasperated, from another day in middle management hell, where everything is urgent and nothing is important.  "What's going on up here?  What's wrong with you?"

"He won't stop--!"  She's still after him.

"Baby, you can't chase him around. You have to learn about how to handle little boys, you can't chase them, you have to stay in one place and then they'll want to come to you."

And her eyes say ? but she statue-freezes, a temporary hold on tears.  She looks straight ahead.

True to destiny, her brother, still giggling, stops, turns, comes bouncing back, stopping within inches of her, staring into her eyes, smiling, waiting to see what's next--

and as she sees him come, a smile like a sunrise breaks through, as she starts to learn about power...






Comments

This is purely fiction. </p... (Below threshold)

Posted by Alone | February 5, 2008 9:05 AM | Score: 5

February 5, 2008 9:05 AM | Posted by Alone : | Reply

This is purely fiction.

Vote up Vote down Report this comment Score: 5 (9 votes cast)
This is beautiful. I canno... (Below threshold)

Posted by katyase | February 6, 2008 5:28 PM | Score: -3

February 6, 2008 5:28 PM | Posted by katyase: | Reply

This is beautiful. I cannot say whether I would have wanted to marry you or be raised by you.

Vote up Vote down Report this comment Score: -3 (11 votes cast)
this is not exactly a lesso... (Below threshold)

Posted by Anonymous | February 9, 2008 10:39 AM | Score: -3

February 9, 2008 10:39 AM | Posted by Anonymous: | Reply

this is not exactly a lesson about power...

Vote up Vote down Report this comment Score: -3 (3 votes cast)
The lesson in power is cute... (Below threshold)

Posted by Sheesh11 | February 15, 2008 1:15 PM | Score: -8

February 15, 2008 1:15 PM | Posted by Sheesh11: | Reply

The lesson in power is cute. The lesson in gender typing, unnecessary.

"You have to learn about how to handle little boys." Ick!

Vote up Vote down Report this comment Score: -8 (22 votes cast)
To Sheesh11: I don't think... (Below threshold)

Posted by Cash McCallister | June 17, 2008 11:00 AM | Score: 7

June 17, 2008 11:00 AM | Posted by Cash McCallister: | Reply

To Sheesh11: I don't think that's necessarily a gender lesson. The same "trick" works on a girl that a young boy might try to pursue. Chasing her around just makes her run; however, ignoring her, makes her wonder why. After a while, she starts to pursue the young boy.

Vote up Vote down Report this comment Score: 7 (13 votes cast)
This is one of the saddest ... (Below threshold)

Posted by ThomasR | May 26, 2011 10:34 AM | Score: 0

May 26, 2011 10:34 AM | Posted by ThomasR: | Reply

This is one of the saddest True stories I've ever read.

Vote up Vote down Report this comment Score: 0 (4 votes cast)
Once upon a time there was ... (Below threshold)

Posted by Anonymous | June 3, 2013 4:57 PM | Score: 8

June 3, 2013 4:57 PM | Posted by Anonymous: | Reply

Once upon a time there was an ubermensch. All the troglodytes mocked him because they did not recognize his inner greatness. Then the ubermensch, through his innate superior qualities, made good and everyone was in awe of him. Then he bombed an apartment complex. Therefore, selfishness is good. The end.

Vote up Vote down Report this comment Score: 8 (10 votes cast)