A woman approached me at the register, purchasing multiple pink bookmarks. She was very friendly and pleasant, so I would never have guessed that she had any children. She then told me of her plans to give the bookmarks as party favors at her young daughter's birthday party the next day. (Usually when people start telling me about their stuff -what or whom it's for, why they like it, &c- I get really annoyed. But this customer was very amiable, so I didn't mind.)
"It's so much work," she said with a laugh.
I laughed as well. "Honestly," I began. "I give a lot of credit to mothers everywhere, simply because it's such an immensely demanding job." This is true. While I may not be a mother, I have a mother, and I remember very well what a little brat I used to be. There are tons of stupid parents out there, but I have tremendous respect for the ones who do it well. (If your kid says, "Please" and "Thank you," you're doing a good job. If he kicks you in the shin and runs around the store because you won't buy him the toy he wants... you're doing a bad job.)
"Thank you!" she replied gratefully. She sighed. "It's... it really is," she began. "It's a lot of work. You have no idea..." she then looked at me. "Do you.... you're very young; you don't have any children, do you?"
I shook my head. "Oh, no, no I don't," I replied.
Then she nodded vigorously. "Yeah, yeah, good..." she said. Good?! Ha! Good! I love it. "It's..." she then looked over her shoulder, as if she didn't want anyone else to hear her saying this. She leaned in very close and then said to me quietly... "It's so bad."
"It's so bad." Yes. This is what a mother actually said to me about being a parent. "It's so bad."
She then shook her head and shut her eyes tightly, as if trying to shake off her guilt. "I mean, don't get me wrong, of course I love my daughter. But... being a mother.... it's so bad" she reiterated. "I mean, if you don't have to.... good. Don't do it if you don't..." she just shook her head again.
At this point, I felt comfortable enough with this customer to tell her the truth. "Well, I'm actually planning on not having any children...."
She sighed a sigh of relief on my behalf. "That's good. Yeah. Don't do it."
I finished the woman's transaction, wished her good luck at the birthday party, and she left the store.
If members of the other team are coming up to me and advising me not to join... I rest my case.
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