I’m sorry you had to hear that

cats: Open letters to you, To Ninadate: August 21st, 2010Author: Mamá

While attempting to make some mommy-friends, someone crossed our path who I would’ve loved to keep away from you for as long as possible, if not forever. This is the sort of person who can hurt your feelings because you’re you, and not the person she would have you be.

After about an hour of trying to have a pseudo-conversation with another Spanish mom, of two boys, we pretty  much gave up and I went to play with you on a cool structure, then the swing, etc. When it was time to go meet your dad for dinner and we were picking up our things, another mom shows up to join her husband and daughter. She’s the other Spanish mom’s neighbour and also speaks Spanish because she comes from Columbia. Let’s call her… “Ridiculous”. Picture Ridiculous with a friendly/amused smile on her face while she talked cheerfully and confidently.

Spanish mom to Ridiculous – Mira, ¿te acuerdas que te hablé de otra chica española en la Kita?

Ridiculous looking at you – Y éste debe de ser su hijo.

Spanish mom to Ridiculous – Eh… ésa es un hija…

Ridiculous to me – Ah. Como la vestiste de niño…

Spanish mom – No, ¡qué va!

The conversation could’ve ended there because I said nothing but, as always, they have to justify their useless words with more useless words.

Ridiculous to me – Es que en Colombia tenemos que vestir a nuestros hijos de lo que son.

Still, I said nothing while I kept putting things away to leave the park.

Ridiculous – Una amiga mía, que es mexicana, se desesperó conmigo y empezó a regalarme ropa azul para mi hija. Jajajaja.

Whether it was to make my silent point clearer, or just to make her stop talking, I decided to talk:

Me – Yo odio el rosa. Lo odio con todas mis fuerzas. Cuando supe que iba a tener una niña les decía a todos ” es niña y odio el rosa”, para que no nos regalaran todo del mismo color.

Obviously, I wasn’t gathering our stuff fast enough, because she went on.

Ridiculous, in an annoying tone  – ¿Y ella no lo pide? ¿No tiene preferencia por el rosa?

Are you reading this, chiqui? Are you old enough to know now that some people are convinced that girls are born genetically attracted to the colour pink, while boys are genetically attracted to blue? It would be my pleasure to read the research papers with you, so we can make a “serious publication” pile and a “pathetic researchers” pile.

Me – Desde que pasó una semana con una prima un poco mayor que ella prefiere colorear con el rosa, pero a parte de eso, nada.

Let me clarify: it’s not that you colour everything pink; you simply choose to fill in the pink parts first.

I finally managed to get all our stuff together and we left, while I cursed under my breath.

After all of this, would you like to see what you were wearing that was so boyish?

Boy's fashion

I love you and I’m sorry you had to hear that woman’s gross ignorance.

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