Ain’t I A Woman?

Angela Montez, the woman who prayed with the robber of the check cashing store she was working at, was on Oprah last Friday. One of the first things she said was that she begged him not to kill her because she had kids and grandkids. Jesus! I’m glad I wasn’t working the window next to her that day. I could just picture her using me as a human shield and screaming, “Shoot her not me! All she’s got is two lousy cats!” Now I know she didn’t mean for her remarks to be offensive but a lot of mothers seem to have that subtle prejudice against childless women, especially if they choose to be that way.

I know that since I possess the right equipment for birthing a baby I’m also supposed to have an innate “maternal” instinct, but mine’s been missing in action for as long as I can remember. My earliest memories are of lavishing love and attention on the various stuffed animals that I slept with every night while ignoring the big plastic baby dolls collecting dust on the closet floor. And for all those people who say you can’t really experience love or be a complete woman until you’ve experienced the birth of a child, you can kiss my ass! I care a hell of a lot more about kids than all those so-called “complete” women who end up abusing and neglecting their offspring.

Parenthood is one of the most demanding jobs in existence and just because I’m not temperamentally suited to it doesn’t make me a bad person. I'm not really suited for being a truck driver either but nobody looks down on me because of it. I'd much rather have my tax dollars go for schools and other programs for kids right here at home instead of shipping it overseas to fight not one, but two wars that we never should have started in the first place. The thing is, I really do love kids... For an hour or two. Then it's time to go back home. That's why I made the decision to be a good aunt, not a lousy mother.