Don't Need To Be Coy, Roy

Yesterday the SYO and I were making dinner together and listening to a little Simon and Garfunkle provided to us by the lovely, Cousin, when they started playing "Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover."

I could almost hear the wheels creaking in her brain.

Who is YOUR lover? She asked.

I try to avoid all romantic questions and contexts with her, feeling that her imagination is already such a powerful motivator in her life. Why encourage some parts of it?

Once in a while in her make-believe world, she'll say Okay. You be my boyfiend, Eric. She's too naive to know what being one's boyfriend or girlfriend actually means. It's just that she's aware of some cultural significance attached to the label. I usually respond with the I'm uncomfortable pretending to be your boyfriend. No need for the obvious qualifiers: a) I am not a boy, b) I am 30 years older than you and c) I am your parent. Anway, I wanted to avoid this particular question for fear that she'll include it in any future play: Okay, you be my LOVER, Eric.

As an aside, (and I bring this up only to point out how seemless our transition has been to the new, Catholic school) we were walking into school the other day and she read a sign on the billboard advertising the Girl Scout's Father-Daughter Square Dance. She asked if I'd go with her. I simply pointed out that she wasn't a Girl Scout.

Whew. I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to avoid having that square dancing conversation with her. . .

What, exactly, does that song mean? She asked.

Um. I think its about when a girlfriend and boyfriend break up. When they decide to stop dating, I responded.

Oh. Why would a boyfriend and girlfriend break up?

I dunno. Maybe they just don't get along anymore.

Is it okay to break up after you're married.

Well. It happens, but you really only WANT to get married once. That's why you want to really get to know someone. See if you like them. Oh, AND be thirty years old. AT LEAST. Okay?

Will you help me find someone nice?

Absolutely.