In my mother's youth a boy who liked a girl and wanted to see more of her had to ask her parents' permission. In my teens we were a lot freer, but a boy would be on his best behaviour, bringing little gifts, saving seats on the bus, and generally trying to create a good impression. Now it's the turn of my thirteen year old niece, and courting has gone to the dogs.
I held this particular boy in my arms when he was a squalling newborn. His parents are family friends. His neighbours are another set of close family friends. Imagine my dismay when I heard that he had approached my niece with, um, amorous intentions. It was not the fact of his liking the girl that took me aback, but his approach.
Did he bring her a flower? A chocolate? Did he dedicate a song to her, as another little fellow did some time back? Maybe you're thinking that he wrote her a cute little note, something like the serviceable 'Roses are red, violets are blue...' Or just held her hand and stared into her eyes while building up the nerve to ask her to the cinema or something?
None of the above. He sauntered up to her in sailing class and just... popped the question:
'Hey, you wanna deal?'
I'm horrified. Horrified. What is puppy love coming to these days?
12 comments:
Puppy love has evidently gone to the dogs - what a shame!
Oh dear! In my day one of the boy's mates would generally dash over during break-time and say 'so-and-so says will you go out with him?' and would relay back the answer. Usually a resounding NO :o)
How things have changed. In my day they just pulled your hair and flicked chewed paper at you with a ruler.
Things have certainly evolved since I was young - a million years ago. We just hit them on the head and dragged them back to our caves.
'Hey, you wanna deal?' He stole my line!
Seriously though, I think almost everything is done by cell these days. Technology is devaluing romance.
I hope she said NO!
Deal? DEAL? I have no idea what that even means. Luckily, I have a teenage son who is way to scared to talk to girls and a smaller one who refuses to bath and is unlikely to pull anytime soon, no matter wht his chat-up lines. Phew.
As above - what's 'deal'? Apart from being a four-letter word, obviously ;-)
Good grief. In my day, the chat up 'line' was a loop of elastic and being good at Chinese Skipping.
Flowerpot, it sure has!
Karen, that brings back fond memories of the boys acting as courier for one another. And of course, whether I liked the boy or not, my honour among the girls demanded that my response was indeed a resounding NO!
Debs, I'd forgotten about the hair pulling & missile throwing!
Anti-wife, LOL! Things were simpler then...
akalol, that cursed cell phone! I hate it, I really do! And I think courtship by cellphone is the absolute pits. The children don't seem to mind it, though. What do they know?
Nyc/caribbean, she did too!
Spiralskies, I have no idea what 'deal' means either, and I was afraid to ask! From the sound of things your sons are safe from romantic adventures - for now.
Zinnia, four-letter word... LOL! Don't think I want to know what it means.
Graeme, Chinese Skipping as courtship display? That's a new one for me! :)
Man, he's slick. No wonder I never could get dates in Jr. High.
Matt, slick's the word. :) The boy's technique must work - when my niece rejected him he just moved on and secured another girlfriend.
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