We Weren't Going to Tell Her So Soon

I've been decorating my classroom. One section is built around a Nietzsche poster—the one that starts, "He who has a why..."—with family photos, old student pictures, and photos of me teaching through the years arranged around it. Raven and Xander were helping me put everything together when Raven spotted a picture from around 2010. "Dad, is that you?"

It was. No beard, younger face, dress shirt and tie. Sixteen years ago. Then she pointed to the Korean boy standing under my arm. "Is that me?"

Every parent likes to believe their kid is exceptionally bright. Then something like this happens and keeps the scouting report honest. Raven is a tiny, tan four-year-old girl with long brown hair. This was a twelve-year-old Korean boy with a bowl cut. They looked absolutely nothing alike. What the fuck do you mean, is that you?

"Yeah," I said. "How could you tell?" She didn't really have an answer. "I didn't think we were going to tell you so soon, but you used to be a small Korean boy."

"No. I don't want to be a boy."