Oedipus

I can't remember having a crush on my dad, but my sister certainly did. She simply could not understand why he was unwilling to marry her...

It's a common thing, right? Children want to marry their opposite-gender parent?

I expected it to happen to Firstborn in his pre-school years. But it wasn't until he was eight, showing me his Tarzan tricks on the playground swing, that he announced, "When I grow up, I want to marry you, Mom."

Then Sprite piped up, "When I grow up, I want to marry Firstborn."

Huh.

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We were at McDonald's Playland the other day- that glorious confluence of corn syrup and freon that affords over-heated moms a few minutes respite- when I noticed Firstborn huddled in the corner, deep in conversation with some girl. She was adorable, with her earnest eyes and her bandanna headband.

"Hi mom. This is Layla."

"Nice to meet you, Layla." And Layla tipped her head back and laughed, with the most unadulterated joie de vivre I've seen in ages.

"Layla has ADDHD, just like me, mom. She talks too much, just like me."

And Layla grinned and laughed again. "I thought he was, like, twelve or something, but he's only eight. Cuz he's so tall, you know, and he has a big vocabulary, so he talks like a 12-year old. But then I was surprised that he's only eight and I'm ten and I'm changing schools next year because my old teacher used too much profanity and I wish he was going to my new school because I'm still waiting to meet a friend for my new school."

Pause.

"I know I talk too much."

More laughing.

They exchanged phone numbers and e-mail addresses and made plans to be in touch within the hour, and the whole time I was staring at this scatter-brained, joyful girl, and wondering why she seemed so familiar.

And then it dawned on me.

She was me.