Walking Uterus
“Almost twenty-six, Belle,” my cousin intoned, downing the last of his Busch beer. He looked out over the stone terrace, to the hills of Vestavia and let out a long, hollow belch. “When are you gonna pop out a few babies for the family to enjoy?”
Back down South for a long weekend… I’ve crossed the Mason-Dixon and, once again, been relegated to the status of a walking uterus.
Back to the Big Apple on Tuesday…
November 6th, 2005 at 6:50 pm
your cousin, huh? I only get the “why are you still single” crap from my mom.
November 6th, 2005 at 7:02 pm
Your blog is wonderful plus it’s nice to hear about life back in the States. Wish I could be as poetic on mine. You’d thinking moving to London would somehow improve my writing skills, but alas… Keep up the great work.
November 6th, 2005 at 8:07 pm
Belle, the scary part might be that he wants to be the father of your yet-to-be-conceived child. Now, I’m not from up north; I’m from Knoxville, TN. But some people frankly scare me out in the country. You just gotta watch out for them, even if they’re in your own family.
November 6th, 2005 at 9:06 pm
Aaaah, “popping out a few for the family”….yup, i’m familiar with that one myself. I’m 28 now, going on 29…..another year or two and they’ll probably give up, but it does get bad eh? Is it just a southern thing or does everyone get this?
November 6th, 2005 at 9:09 pm
I get this exact same thing! I’m soon to be 30 and people just assume that something is wrong with you if you don’t have kids by then. I don’t get it.
Love your blog Belle.
November 6th, 2005 at 10:43 pm
Being in a long term relationship, we have been asked, “So when are you going to have kids?” Not just are you, but when are you. As though we are somehow incomplete without offspring.
When we’ve said they we don’t intend to have children, we have also been told with absolute authority, “You’ll feel differently one day.”
People are strange.
November 6th, 2005 at 10:49 pm
I have an amazing career in addition to a marvelous husband, but all I get is “tsk,tsk” from an assortment of aunts and uncles in regard to my childless state.
November 7th, 2005 at 12:36 am
Geez. I would love to be a walking uterus instead of a dancing vagina.
looking forward to wednesday.
x
November 7th, 2005 at 1:02 am
Hmmmmm, are they keeping you barefoot too?
November 7th, 2005 at 10:12 am
Dear Belle, you don’t have to travel that far to get that treatment, come for a visit with my insane Italian family out on Long Island and get that same warm and fuzzy feeling that pushes the women’s lib movement back about fifteen years.
November 7th, 2005 at 1:09 pm
I’m only 20, and my mom is already pleading for grandchildren…I’m sorry, but isnt that way too young?
November 7th, 2005 at 1:18 pm
my parents don’t pressure me for grandchildren - after all, that would mean their precious daughter was. . .gasp. . .having sex
November 7th, 2005 at 1:43 pm
I used to get the same thing but I think the parents have realised it’s never going to happen and given up. Doesn’t stop other family members that you don’t see that often asking though.
November 7th, 2005 at 2:15 pm
Back home in Louisiana, I was officially an old maid when I hit 28.
Here in KY, my future mother-in-law asked when I was going to give her a grandchild before my fiance even proposed. Scary. (Hmmm, I wonder how hard it will be to keep her away from my future children…)
November 7th, 2005 at 2:15 pm
Even us men have to deal with the same question.
My sister is always with the pressure:” “I wanna have a nephew or niece, when are you gonna get married?”
Where is the “free” will?
November 7th, 2005 at 5:20 pm
and in NYC you are just a baby at 26. I do not think you are allowed to give birth in a Manhattan hospital until you are at least 30 years of age.
November 7th, 2005 at 9:58 pm
Wow, this is the first thing I read on your blog that seemed remotely relatable to the rabble like me. As many others have noted, to New Yorkers (even those of us unstylish enough to live above 14th St), 26 is awfully young to be in a relationship, let alone to have a kid. Keep your chin up, resist the pressure, and good luck.
November 8th, 2005 at 1:38 am
My mother, who’s become oh so hip, rattled off once that I don’t need a man these days to have a baby. Grandma told me that same weekend I think that she was going to start making me a baby blanket cuz by the time I had one she’d be dead.
God I love family. Don’t you?
November 8th, 2005 at 5:56 am
Just back to NY from the Deep South myself last night … Family is the focus - without question … But there is something refreshing about that - honest, genuine … even lasting.
November 8th, 2005 at 8:15 am
Hey, don’t worry–my parents had me when they were 36 and 39. Take your time…
November 8th, 2005 at 3:16 pm
I have decided that if I am still single at age 30 then I will have a party.
I will regrister.
I will send out lavish invitations, and request cocktail attire..perhaps black tie.
the best band of course…
And Indulge in the best catering with a full bar…while making sure everyones glass is filled with the veuve for the outrageous occasion.
Wonder how that will go over here down south..when my presents are to come from tiffanys..etc.
and the only thing I have to celebrate is my youthful, single , vivacious life…
and cute party favors to leave with…
November 10th, 2005 at 2:46 pm
Belle,you should have told your cousin until he’s fulfilled his quota of procreating he needs to back off.
Luke Levine, your sister is using the same smug married sibling playbook as my brother.
November 11th, 2005 at 3:21 am
I am 29 yr old guy and everybody around me I am sure is wondering some have asked “why isn’t he married yet? why doesn’t he even show any signs of intrest?”. I don’t show signs becoz there is not interest. Comign from a family with an history of failed relationships I am not too eager. I may some day.
November 23rd, 2005 at 1:26 pm
At least your cousin wasn’t volunteering his services.