things people say

Usually the random inappropriate comments are something that only I get to experience, but this weekend Ken was lucky enough to have his very own uncomfortable conversation with a stranger. Lets call her RW, or Random Woman.

Ken: Yeah, he's definately our son. He has a lot of attitude and he's working on a smart mouth.

RW: Oh, you and your wife have other children?

Ken: Pardon?

RW: Well, when you said 'our son' I assumed you were talking about a biological child.

Now, to be fair, she meant this innocently enough, but really, Random Woman, Bex IS our son. I didn't have to birth him to make that a fact.

I had my own chat with Random Woman number two.

RW2: So, does he have any brothers or sisters?

Me: Nope. He's our only.

RW2: I meant siblings. You know...

Me: No. We just have the one.

RW2: No, I mean REAL siblings.

Hey, RW2, guess what? I have two sisters and one brother. They are my siblings, my REAL siblings. Sure, we might be related only by marriage or through one parent's genetics, but we are a family just the same. Sort of like how my kiddo is an only child as we have no other children. I guess by her definition all step-siblings and half siblings are officially null and void as family.

I understand curiosity. What I don't understand is the need of strangers to delve into my child's past. Asking about his ethnicity is one thing, but asking intimate details of his birth is something else entirely. That information is his to share should he choose to do so, but it is not mine to spread to the world through small talk with random individuals.

Grrr. Talking to strangers is fun.