"No--no. Men don't kiss men like that. Men shake hands."
A woman is telling her son this after he's been laughing and playing around with his father's arm and hand like they're toys, and then he kissed his father's thumb. That's all it fucken is! I sit there stunned at the sharp terror of homophobia being passed down to the little ones. I want to say something, but I'm on a public bus, and there's another young woman sitting across from me wearing shades with the words "SUCK IT" etched on the lenses, and for whatever reason this has a dampening effect on me.
So I look over at the boy, now staring at her mother, and I can feel my lungs tense.
But then-
He smiles this big-eyed, big-teethed grin at her, shoves his hand in his father's hand, and over-exaggeratedly, shakes it three big shakes, grinning that sloppy grin at her, as if it's the most absurd thing he's ever done in his life.
I nearly busted out laughing.
Youth are fucken cool.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Thanks Coleen!
ReplyDeleteAnd a double thank you for following this blog. Once the twin sister starts posting a bunch (hence the name) it'll be an extra-cool ride, I hope.
Miss you much out here. Love
What a neat moment to have been lucky enough to experience. I would have been just as aghast and you, then just as relived to witness his solution.
ReplyDeleteI'm telling you, youth are some of the fastest I've seen when it comes to solutions and resolutions, which are always whip-smart. I don't know if I can catch that spirit, but I do keep my eye out for it.
ReplyDelete