Here's the setup: I was with Miss Banana; T-Man and Fearless were at day camp. I had picked out some shirts and pants for the boys (same things in 2 different sizes) and a couple of items for Miss Banana. The guy scanned the baby things without comment, but when he got to the boys' clothes, he asked if I needed a gift receipt. I said no, I have two boys so I needed the things in 2 different sizes. (This is where awkward conversation begins.)
Checker: (surprised) You have 3 kids?!
Me: Yep.
Checker: (suddenly silent, obviously sizing me up and eyeing me suspiciously) How old are they?
Me: 5, 3, and 3 months (flashes wedding ring, trying to project being "older")
At this point the checker is silent and all pleasantry has stopped. Finally, he gets to the "would you like to open a Target credit card?"
Me: (trying to regain camaraderie) No thanks, we are moving to a city that doesn't have a Target
Checker: (not as friendly as before) oh, where's that?
Me: a small, university town
Checker: oh, are you going to start school there?
Me: No, my hubby is going to be a professor there
Checker: Oh! Hmm. (Look that says: TEENAGE MOM MARRIED MUCH MUCH OLDER MAN!)
At this point Miss Banana started wailing, so I had no further chance to try to convince the guy that I was not what he had surmised--I wanted to burst out with "I already have my degree! My children weren't born until after I was finished with college!" but I thought that would maybe add to the wierdness and I decided to just let it go.
9 comments:
LOL!! What a great post!! You should just start wearing a sign or something!! Be thankful that you still look great and young after having 3 kids!!
Ugh--people are so weird. Checker Guy probably just doesn't understand how the world can work outside of his own little paradigm (which is probably chock full of youngins' with youngins'). It happens at work all the time-the attorneys for the other parties think I must be some engineering student, interning after my freshman year at college. Then I get up, and cross-examine their witness on the stand, and they're shocked. It doesn't help that they work for big firms that don't let their younger attorneys see the inside of the courtroom till they are in their 40s.
I feel for you, not that I'm young (or old) mine comes mostly from "you have HOW MANY kids." Yes, I'm 32 (almost) and have 5 kids, beginning 2 years AFTER I was married. Which just leads to-"you got married at 19?" Who in the right mind does that?".
Sometimes I would love to shout out to people "I have a degree." Best of luck in keeping up with looking so young- I feel I am looking older everyday.
I have the same problem! I remember when I would go shopping with my mom when I was pregnant with Alex. I got countless stares from people who thought I was a teenage mother. And with my second, I always wanted Alex around when I went anywhere with my mom.
I totally know what you mean! I'm 27 and I think most people think I'm 18 or 19. Plus I have a very distinct little girl voice so whenever telemarketers call they ask if my Mommy is home. Sometimes I think people just don't take me seriously. :P Hopefully it gets better as you age...
lol that's so funny.
What a cute picture. Funny story!!!
Lol - I get the reverse of those looks whenever I'm with any of my sisters when my brothers in law aren't there. :-P
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