Saturday Special: Growing Pains

"Daddy, what's it like being a..." She paused in her words. Then she continued on. "As a guy?"

I looked at my ten year old girl; all dressed up like Calamity Jane, complete with lasso and five gallon hat. She had worn the cowboy suit I bought her last autumn, and looked like she had filled up the loose gaps well. She asked me that question when I was to popped in the kettle to boil the water for the afternoon tea. She had just walked in from the backyard where she normally played with the neighboring kids.

"Well, I guessed its different from being a lady." I had to answered her or she would be pestering me till the owls go to roost for her answer.

"I know that already, Daddy, Mummy told me a lot of the boys and girls, and ..." She gave me her wide smile that revealed her missing front tooth courtesy of the rumble in the backyard with Ernie. She had told me, that Ernie punched her and on further investigation, I found out that she did kicked him in between the legs which prompted the retaliation. I had to apologize to the Maddison' for her un-ladylike behavior. When I confronted her, she told me she saw it worked on TV and Ernie was a bad boy. I left the matter to a rest or there would be a lot of rebuttals on who was right and wrong.

"And I hoped Mummy told you enough, so why asked me now?" I replied to her while reaching for the tea can.

"But Mummy told me more on what was it like being a girl. So I am asking you on the guy side." She had sat on the kitchen chair and rested her chin on the table top. "Ernie always said that the guys are better than the ladies."

"Ernie's back?" I was surprised that the boy dared to come back.

"Yeah, he's a leech." She said it, and I frowned at her selection of words. She saw my expression and continued on.

"Yeah, we all called him that. He likes to cling onto us. Like how Mummy clinged onto you. " Clinging was pictured in twenty five different poses and situations. I stopped looking for the tea can and sat down next to him.

"You tell Ernie the next time he comes 'clinging', that I would have him haul to his house to be ..." I was lost for words to how do you threaten a kiddo that age.

"Kick his balls again. Okay, Daddy." She replied for me. Then she asked me again. "What about my question?"

"Oh, that one." I looked at her and smiled. "I really don't know. Look at me. I wear an apron which most guy don't do. I make tea which most guys never learned....."

"Yeah, I know. You cooked too. If Mummy did, we would all end up in the hospital." She sighed. "Guess, you are not the guy to ask the question."

Oh, that hurt me deep down and over the edge. I had to protect my ego. I smiled and replied to her.

"Not exactly. I am not really a guy, but I am a man. I am one that does both what a guy and a lady do. So I can tell you more from both views. You see not every guy is 'man' enough to admit they know about the 'lady' side." Gee, I sounded confused myself. I was to continue on but I was saved by the arrival of the saintly lady of my life.

"And your Daddy is a great guy with the Man in him, but he needs time to tell you more. And right now, you need to get changed and be ready for tea." Mummy to the rescue. I looked up to the love of my life and smiled.

"Okay, Mummy. But let me untie Ernie from the tree. The ants ought to had bitten him silly by now."

That's one thing a guy may not think of doing to one other. I think.

"Darling, let me talk to the girl on growing up. You hold on till she's grown up. That way you won't misled her." My love gave me the sound advice while I continue to search for the tea can.