fbhjr | When you were born is not really a good excuse

When we visited my aunt this last weekend, my wife mentioned one of my engineers frequently texts me on weekends or evenings with questions.
“Why?” My aunt asked.
“It’s her first job out of school. She’s worried about making a good impression and is doing a lot of extra work to try and keep up.
“I tell her she is doing well enough without it, but she is worried about it.”
“Are you sure that’s it?” My aunt asked.
“Yes.”
“It isn’t that she thinks that she could get somewhere with an older male boss?”
“No. I’m quite sure that isn’t it.”
“Some people will do things if they think it will help their career.”
“I am 100% sure that is not the case here.”
“You never know… Unless you’re saying she isn’t interested in men.”
“She lives with her girlfriend and they seem quite happy.”
“What?” The other resident from the nursing home said. “That’s…”
“Just fine,” my aunt finished. “People are who they are. Some folks are born one way, some another. As long as no one is being hurt, it’s none of our business. Right?”
“Absolutely,” I agreed.
“Then tell her to stop trying to impress you by working extra hours and give your weekend time back.”

My aunt was born in 1936, so spent her formative years in the 40’s and 50’s when I’m told by some that “things were the way they should be”.
But, if my 86 year old aunt is OK with gay rights, then this whole “they were born in another age and don’t know better” doesn’t really hold up very well.

Of course my aunt’s sister, my mother, who is only 5 years older is the one who said “maybe your sister deserved to die because of the life she led”, so folks born in the 30’s don’t all have an open mind.

But, there are many reasons I continue to visit my aunt and not my mother. This is only one…

When you were born is not really a good excuse

no subject