Thursday, November 19, 2009

Why don't you like me without making me try?

"Do I attract you? Do I repulse you with my queasy smile?
Am I too dirty? Am I too flirty? Do I like what you like?
Yeah, I could be wholesome, I could be loathsome.
I guess I'm a little bit shy. Why don't you like me?
Why don't you like me without making me try?
I could be brown, I could be blue, I could be violet sky.
I could be hurtful, I could be purple, I could be anything you like.
How can I help it, how can I help what you think?"


I've noticed recently that a lot of people's mothers don't like me. Really, really, don't like me.

I'm really not sure what to think about this, other than to wonder what exactly I've done to these women or their children to rub them the wrong way. For me, a lot of social norms don't make sense because they don't exist in my life. My mother doesn't dislike any of my friends, even when they send me into tears, crying like a baby and hating myself for who I am because they went out of their way to hurt me. My mother still likes those people after the fact, after I've forgiven them, even when I do it knowing that they are hurtful people. My mother knows this. The simple fact is, she does not care.

Let's talk, moms.

So, maybe it's normal to dislike your child's friends. You're protective. I get it. The funny thing is this: I do not act disrespectfully. I do not speak rudely, I do not swear in front of parents (usually). I don't break laws. I don't drink. I don't steal. I don't dress sexily in front of parents. I don't dress dumpy, either. I try to hold conversations with my friends' parents and be kind whenever possible. I don't ignore parents' wishes for their child or ignore their rules when in their home. In fact, I'm the kid who will tell your child to listen to you if I'm their friend. I'm the kid who will sit by and watch everyone else drink, kindly refuse the alcohol, and make sure they don't end up driving or doing something they'd regret. I'm the person who stands up for my friends, even if it means losing everything else I have. So this raises the question: why don't parents like me?

I can only come to a few conclusions on this, and they all sound conceited and over-thought. Maybe I show a bit of disconnect. I don't usually speak and act enthusiastically and I'm usually not fully alert because I'm such an introvert. Maybe my friends talk shit about me to their parents. But then that raises the question: why would they do that? In general, I try hard not to have trust issues. I try so hard, in fact, that oftentimes I end up trusting anything and anyone, and I end up getting hurt. Badly.

So to all you moms who hate me: I am the person who will believe anything your child tells me without hesitation because I'm their friend. I'm the person who will easily jump to your kid's defense just to help them save a little face, even when they're wrong. I am the person who honestly adores all of my friends and would unflinchingly take a bullet for those I hold close, so give me a chance.

I just want to know why you don't like me. Especially some of you who I think are absolutely great parents, so much that I'm jealous for my mom's parenting abilities! C'mon. What can I do?

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