The other day at dinner, Nate announced, “Daddy! Guess what I learned in school today?”
“What, honey?”
“I learned that all boys have short hair, and all girls have long hair.”
I laughed. “That’s not true, Nate! I know lots of girls with short hair, and lots of boys with long hair.”
He squinted at me. “No, you don’t.”
Hm. Okay, time to break out the big guns. “Stay here, please; I’ll be right back.” Down to the basement I went, and returned carrying this picture:
Tim shot this in the mid-’90s as an assignment for his portrait class. I’ve always loved it.
“Do you know who that is, Nate?”
“…no.”
“That’s me, when I was younger.”
He peered at the picture, and then looked at me, doubtfully. “So… you were a girl?”
This made me laugh – especially because I have never seen you in person with short hair. Who knew that for all those years in undergrad you just were posing as a man?
Hasn’t NATE seen girls with short hair??? Doesn’t he remember what I look like?
@tanager: I’m sure he remembers you, but now I’m not so sure he knows if you’re a boy or a girl. 🙂
@Cori: perhaps you remember the time someone French-braided my hair during class… Maureen saw me walk by the smoking room and commented, “That’s the ugliest girl I’ve ever seen.”
Wow! I think I was in that portrait class @ Salem! Haha!
Love your blog! It’s nice to read about the everyday joy that is Nate.
Thank you!!
Hmmmm…. this is one of those “Things i did in college” very nice dave, very nice.