2003-07-09 - 2:40 p.m. Nora Soul-crusher When I was sitting vigil for my Laurel, a large number of people felt obliged to tell me that once I was a Peer, I would have to be careful not to crush souls. Now, most of the people saying this didn't know me from Adam's off ox. This was a piece of generic advice, and they didn't know, really, if I needed it or not. I was, as usual, of two minds about this well-meant advice. On the one hand, in my Real Life, I teach high school English. Niceness is a professional liability. If I have to stop crushing souls, it is really going to cramp my style. On the other, a small voice at the back of my mind was shouting, "what do these people think of me? Am I really that frightening? If they are so afraid I will crush someone's soul, why are they offering me the award?" If you think I am scary, you should meet Sis, or Maman. Maman had the post engineer at one of the places Papa was stationed terrified of her to the point he actually put down his groceries and left the commissary rather than stand in line with her. One of Sis' students asked her one day, "if you're here, who's ruling in Hell?" Compared to my kin, I am the softest, sweetest little thing you ever met. And then there is this:
Actually, I think this has more to do with the fact that I prefer black to pink ruffles, but that's just a guess. | |