Do You Trust Me?

At the time of my birth, my parents were living in California. With my dad in the National Guard at the time, my mom headed to Idaho to be with her mom so she could have help with my birth and my 14 month old brother. So, I was born in Idaho. Not California. A tragedy that could not be avoided.


Oh, I am sure my dad was teasing me when he told me that I would have been a movie star, had I been born in California. I am sure he just said these words, and moved on, not giving it one more thought. But being a gullible child, who trusted her father implicitly, my ears heard,

"Seriously. All you have to do to be a movie star is to be BORN in California. We lived there, but you WERE NOT born then. It is completely our fault. We don't know what we were thinking. Obviously, we were not thinking of you. We are sorry that we have ruined your life. What could have been yours, is now gone forever. You are going to have to let the dream of growing up Hollywood, go. Just let it go. It is not in your birthright to be a movie star. We have taken that away. We are sorry. Ever so sorry."

Or, at least something like that.

Oh, you can believe that I told every one. And I mean E.V.E.R.Y.O.N.E. Everyone that could be talked at was told, by me, that I was supposed to be a movie star. If I had been born in California.

I was in the middle of accosting another human being with this "truth", when I actually stopped and listened to what I was saying. I stopped mid-sentence, paused to mull the words over in my head, and BUSTED out laughing. Sad thing? And I do mean VERY SAD THING. I WAS 14 YEARS OLD, PEOPLE! Some bulbs just do shine a little brighter than others, I guess.

Well, now...now it's my turn. Now I am the parent who gets to fill my child's head with whatever I want. And, I get to experience what it is like to have an overly dramatic child, like myself, who twists everything in it's translation, like myself, and gets really hair-brain ideas in his head...like myself.

Case in Point:

My ears tuned in on a conversation downstairs that was getting really heated. From my son, I hear,

"Uh huh, yes it does! Uh huh, playing too many video games DOES give you brain rot. And if you get brain rot, YOU'RE DEAD!

* Actual Comment *

"Turn it off, Chase. If you play that game for too long, it will rot your brain.

2nd Case in Point:

Conversation heard from back seat of van.

"Yeah, and her Boot Camp is sooooo hard. They make you run and sweat and make your bones really tired. AND, they only give you 30 seconds to get a drink of water. If you don't make it, then they make you quit, and you can't do boot camp anymore. Doesn't that sound HARD?"

* Actual Comment *

Well, actually, I don't remember the actual comment. I didn't feel the need for too much correction on this one. I have no problem letting Chase grow up thinking I am Wonder Woman.

Oh, it's fun to be the parent. Putty in my hands, I tell ya.

By the way, Dad. I completely forgive you. I forgive you for my birthplace. I don't think I would have made a very good actress.