Saturday, February 02, 2013

The Boyfriend

Isabelle has a boyfriend. He's nine years old. He's told her he loves her. She concurs. They haven't kissed, but they do hug.

Today was the first day I met him, although I've seen him from a distance before. It was only afterwards that I realized I had behaved in a very atypical manner for meeting one of my daughter's friends. I approached him directly, introduced myself, shook his hand, and said it was nice to meet him. It seemed normal until I imagined doing that with any of her other friends.

I don't think this is presaging anything good for my behavior around future boyfriends. When she's thirteen, am I going to be asking, "So. What are your intentions toward my daughter, young man?" Will I go so far, when she's fifteen, as, "Gentlemen who wish to keep their testicles will have her home by ten"? Oh well. At least Gabriel got a very first taste of "meeting the father of the bride."