“Which would you prefer more, Paula, skirts or dresses?” asked his mother, looking through the rack for the proper size clothing.
“Can’t I have pants or shorts instead?” pouted Paul realizing that if his mother bought him dresses or skirts, he wouldn’t be back in pants for some years.
“Tell me which one you would like more, Paula,” bellowed his mother silencing a woman who was going through a similar situation with her own daughter. However, Paul felt a sharp jolt in his chest that quickly subsided when his thoughts became clouded.
‘Why am I worried? Mommy’s here and she’s letting me choose like a big girl,’ thought Paul shaking his head disgusted by what he was thinking.
“Paula,” said his mother sternly knocking him back into reality.
“Can I have both please, mommy? Oh, please can‘t I, mommy?”
“I guess, but I need you to lift your arms so I can get you out of the cart and try them on.” Paul smiled proud of himself for speaking his mind; although Paul couldn’t tell where Paula’s mind ended and his began.
Over the next hour, Paul tried on all the dresses and skirts his mother had pulled from the racks. However, as he did so, he felt more at ease with what had happened to him and more attached to his mother than he ever had before. In addition to this, Paul learned a tiny bit about girl shopping habits as well as all the different types of clothes.
“You already to go, sweetie?” asked his mother.
“Just one more,” pleaded Paul tugging on his mother’s pants.
“I’m sorry, Paula, but we need to go. Besides, I’m getting you five new dresses and six skirts.”
“Please, mommy, just one more…”
“I said no, Paula. Now let’s go!” Instantly Paul felt a strong urge build up inside him and before he could stop himself he was lying on the floor kicking and screaming. “Stop it,” snapped his mother picking him up with little trouble and putting him in the cart. Paul didn’t stop however until his mother stirred the cart back into the infant isles and started piling in all the baby items she could get her hands on.
“Why you putting them in the cart?” asked Paul wiping the tears away from his eyes. “I’m not a baby.”
“The way you’re acting I wouldn’t be so sure,” said his mother picking up a box of 128 size five Luvs diapers and putting it under the cart. “And you won’t be treated like a big girl again until you start acting it.”
Paul started to cry again and as he did, his mother opened a package of pacifiers and put a pink one in his mouth.