Social

Duchess got a love note this week at school, ostensibly from a boy of whom she is fond and who is widely acknowledged to have a Crush on her.* (Duchess is suddenly, and somewhat surprisingly, popular these days. There are a handful of boys who have acknowledged Crushes on her, and some of them are social leaders.) She thought it was probably a forgery, and she wanted to know. So she promptly asked the boy if he had written her a love note. He said no. They spent some time speculating together about who was responsible. Everything ended well.

Here's the thing. I can't imagine this scenario playing out for me when I was ten.** I can't imagine getting a note and then asking the kid if he had written it. Ever. At ANY point in my life. I would much rather deal with the ambiguity than confront anybody about anything uncomfortable. But Duchess has a different threshold than I do for social discomfort, and more confidence in her own social power. Watching Duchess make her way in the weird world of almost-adolescence makes me feel like I'm looking at entirely new territory, because her path is so different from mine. It's really interesting.

Anyway, Duchess has a new cast. It's green. She'll get it off in three weeks.


*I am also fond of this kid, who seems very ethical and thoughtful for a 10-year-old, as well as endearingly forthright.

** If I had not been a hopeless social outcast, I mean. I didn't get notes.