Gene Pushers

My mother says that Real Women Breed.   Well she doesn't put it that way... generally it's a comment meant to instill fear: 

"Who will look after you when you're old?"    

"You're missing out on so much in life... not being a mother." 

"A man can wait into his 40's, but then he'll want children and look for a woman he can have children with."    

  

Or sometimes there is just judgement:

"Once you have children, your whole perspective on life changes.....  You can't just be selfish anymore."   

I love the last one -although it tends to come from friend/mommies these days....  as if there are no selfish parents in the world.... and what the hell was Mother Teresa doing?   Selfish nun. Speak for yourself bitches!

Sometimes there might be encouragement:

"You and JB would make such great parents." .... Yuck.... "you think?  It's not likely to happen." 

In a small town, even virtual strangers are like my mother.  It's a standard question, "do you have children?" 

 -"no," I say, thinking that might be the end of it.   But in a small town the questions continue... 

"Why not?" Now this could from the local Starbuck's barista (who are obnoxiously invasive I might add).    -"I'm too old."  

"How old are you?" Grrr... Stop Already!...  "Almost 40"     

 "Women have babies in their 40's now all the time."   Yeah.. no shit...  -"I know, but that's not for me."  

 

And only in my small town, "Oh, well I guess you are a little old."  Thanks.

So I  shorten the inevitable game of ping pong and simply respond, "No, I'm barren."   And sometimes, in my town, I get, "What's that mean?"  Mom & those of you who push breeding.... just stop prying and let the damned subject drop!