Growing Pains

This was another one from the November PAD challenge, this time on the theme of love/anti-love. It felt appropriate to post on Valentine’s Day. Enjoy the day, folks!

Growing Pains

Originally written November 24, 2020

“Eww! Girls are gross!” the five-year-old boy said.
“Not gonna play with her! I won’t! I won’t!
Eww! Now she’s touching me! Stop! I said don’t!”
And then he blew a spitball at her head.

“Why can’t I get a girlfriend?” asked the teen.
His face was pockmarked. Puberty was cruel.
Too often mocked by all the girls at school,
He kept his head down. Shy, he stayed unseen.

“I love you deeply.” Now, at twenty-five,
He nervously dropped down onto one knee.
“My lovely lady, won’t you marry me?”
She gasped a yes. He truly felt alive.

“Dad, girls are gross,” the boy said, in a snit.
“Don’t worry, son. You will grow out of it.”

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash