The other night I stopped into JoAnn Fabrics to snag another pack of black ric-rac. As it turned out, the size I needed (medium, not jumbo), had been bought out. When I made my way up to the counter with a couple other things, I was the only person in sight except the cashier, so I asked her if she had any reserve stashes stuck in a drawer or something. She happily took me over to look, and while we were gone on our fruitless mission, another woman came to the counter, and set her stuff down. At least she set down everything she could, but the life-size scarecrow she held at her side like a staff. Well, IÂ still needed to pay for the twill tape I was buying, so I had to walk up right behind her to finish my transaction. What I am saying is that it was just a touch closer than you would usually stand to a stranger in a store. She was unashamed. Unashamed, and stern. Stern, and standing cheek to cheek with a scarecrow. Then the conversation struck up.
Lady: “I saw you the other week.”
Me: “oh”
Lady: “At the resteraunt.”
Me: “oh?”
Lady: “You have two little girls.”
Me: “Yes, we do.”
Lady (with a very poignant look at my belly): ” I was thinking about how close they are together.”
Me: “Yes, they are… And, what makes it all funnier is that this time we are having twins.”
Lady: “oh my GOSH.”
At this point, I was handed my bag and headed out of the store. The lady pivoted to watch me leave, turning the scarecrow to see me off, and said “well, good luck.”
I called out a cheerful “Thanks, we are really excited about it!”, and then tried very, very hard not to waddle.
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I would have been sorely tempted to cast a very poignant look toward the scarecrow and say, “Ah, but I see you’re a twin, too.”
Kudos to you for handling it with such grace.
I was once informed by an expecting Mama (when I too was expecting…and had a little boy not yet two) that while this was her third pregnancy she and her husband like to space their kids out AT LEAST SEVEN YEARS APART…That way they can ENJOY their kids…
Hmmmm…I so badly wanted to say, of course, that we were having them close together in order NOT to enjoy them…
And…black ric-rac…I didn’t know I needed it until I read your post!!!
I was at Goodwill last week and was listening to a woman in the next aisle try to keep a four-year-old boy reigned in while she shopped. I could just tell she was the mother of a large family. I asked her how many kids she had. She said she had eight and was due with twins next spring. We have eight ourselves (and are in our mid/late forties). I could not get home fast enough to kid my husband about it.
Most people have been scared to comment on my pregnant belly while I’m carrying around my little guy (he is now nine months). Now, at six months along, I look very pregnant but for awhile I’m pretty sure people just thought I hadn’t regained my shape. It saved me a few months of “was this planned!!?”
That’s a great response! I’m forever amazed at how tactless (and intruding) people can be when it comes to family. I remember when I was pregnant that several folks would ask how far along I was with Ophelia followed by a, “and when were you married?”. As my legitimate tatertot would say, “Sheesh!”
I had a friend that was pregnant almost immediately after her honeymoon and had a preemie…
A good reminder for us to always assume the best of people.
we can laugh at the situation because we know that the world’s wisdom is all hog wash. a good reminder to see the world as God sees it, to delight in what He delights in, to laugh at what He has made funny.
hilarious and well-handled. and your account of the whole thing was delightfully put, rachel. thank you.
we are praying for those sweet twins, rachel.
love,
joe and jen
I was 23, pregnant and had a 1 and 2 year old. (By the time I was 26, I had four kids.) My personal favorite, “Do you know what causes that?” I must have been asked that 100 times.
Miki, a friend of mine once had the presence of mind and the gumption to reply with a big grin, “Yeah, and we really like it!”
Valerie,
I have actually tried that. No matter what wording I used, I felt debased afterwards. After a handfull of tries, I decided it was an opportunity for grace(need all the practice I can get) and silence(need practice there too) on my part.