Thursday, September 24, 2009

ramblings of the sardonic sort

I had one of those days...you know...well

One of my students emailed me to tell me that she missed class for "female" reasons, then proceeded to tell me she got an abortion.

I didn't want to hear that. And it's not because I want to discuss the abortion debate (not on my blog, please)...I just didn't want to hear about another poor, working class college student getting knocked up. Just. Like. That.

Several years ago, my neighbor got knocked up while she was a prostitute (I live in a very unique place). My neighbor was 17 at the time. She had the baby. I often went to her house to help her diaper, showed her how to rock the baby, how to wash the clothes in the sink with Ivory, why talking and singing to the baby is so important. How reading baby books now will not only help her child but also herself to learn to read.

She kept it for about 3 months, then gave it up for adoption. She couldn't take care of it, she said.

When I told a good good friend of mine the story recently, my friend asked why I didn't ask my neighbor for the baby.

Seriously? It's not a purse. I can't just ask for one, can I? If that's the case, I'll tell my students they'll get extra credit for getting knocked up, carrying to full term, then signing their parental rights over to me.

Sheesh. I mean, come on.

8 comments:

♥.Trish.♥ Drumboys said...

Wow , I can't imagine people thinking you would ask your neighbour that.
On abortion ...it is just sad that's all I want to say.
I have many people I met through the adoption of our son (his mum was 38) and adoption sometimes is the only way some people become families. It was us too for 12 years.

I wish you what you want most in life.

hi, I am visiting from ICLW...No. 125 to say hello and to check out your blog.
My Little Drummer Boys

Circus Princess said...

Seriously. That's not a bad idea.... :-)
Interesting read about cycling with the moon, never heard of that before. Sleep with no curtains (since we live out in the country) so hopefully I'm right on track, need to check when the last full moon was.

And yes, IF is frickin' expensive!! Best of luck to you and happy ICLW!

Anonymous said...

Yikes, I really don't think I would have dealt with that situation well at all. (Either of them)

(ICLW)

WannabeMommy said...

I think sometimes we feel so desperate, that, hey... why not? There are wackier ways to parenthood, right? Anyway, I certainly feel for you, being confronted with that situation. I don't quite know how I'd respond myself.

Happy ICLW to you!

Kari said...

I wish it was that easy, to just ask someone for their baby and be given the child you long for. People say the weirdest things sometimes.

ICLW

Unknown said...

Open adoptions all start in some fashion, don't they? I don't think her question was all that off the wall.

My Vegas said...

I suppose, but the assumption was that I should've asked her for the baby before she wanted to give it up for adoption. That, I think, would have been tacky.

Lynn said...

Its so difficult when you're in a situation like the one we find ourselves in to hear about these things. You ask yourself why is it so easy for someone who is not in a position to take care of a child to have one, whereas, you are struggling so with getting pregnant and you'd make an excellent parent. I hope things work out for you soon. Also, I completely understand your reaction to "why didn't you ask her for it". I mean, how exactly would you do that? You wouldn't.