Policy of truth

I've always found in interesting how kids (and Spaniards/Latinos) openly tell you what's on their minds. On my mission, we worked long days in the hot sun. I can't tell you how many times a well-meaning person would tell me I needed makeup, that my dress was not flattering, etc. In one area where I worked for 6 months, there was a kindly couple who referred to my companion as "la alta" ("the tall one") and me as "la gorda" ("the fat one"). Nice.

When we were in the Spanish branch of our stake and I was pregnant with my first son, there was a lovely lady who would remind me weekly how big I was getting. "You are so huge!" "Have they told you how big that baby is? He must be HUGE!" "You are getting really huge!" You get the picture. Towards the end of the pregnancy, I seriously steered clear on Sundays to avoid the inevitable comment about my hugeness. I knew, of course, that she meant no harm - but it was starting to sting just the same!

You know the saying - "kids say the darndest things" - also true. One day, as I picked Mason up from preschool, his teacher pulled me aside to tell me that Mason had informed her that she looked like Johnny Cash.


Oh dear. Upon further investigation, it surfaced that Mason thought she looked like Johnny Cash because she was wearing "all black." Whew. Which begs the question, how does he know that? I suppose he's seen a few scenes from "Walk the Line" while Brandon was exercising on the rowing machine. Either that, or his grandpa Gordon may have mentioned it. In any event, his teacher thought it was funny.

For the record, she does not look at all like Johnny Cash.

Next, Mason told Brandon he looked like Lightning McQueen. Say what?


This, however, was explained by the fact that Brandon was wearing red exercise shorts and a red T-shirt at the time. I was starting to sense a theme.

Until today, that is. Mason and I were snuggling on my bed while I watched Oprah (I'll admit, I tuned in today to see her talk about falling off the wagon!). Oprah was speaking with Carnie Wilson via Skype, when Mason informed me that I look like her. Carnie Wilson!

This was too much.

We began to argue, me telling him that I look nothing like Carnie Wilson, him saying I do. I kept asking, "What about me looks like her?!?" Finally, he came up with it. Her hair. We have similar hair.

Her hair looked pretty cute on Oprah, so I guess I can live with that. Thanks, Mason. You say the sweetest things.