Hello, my name is B.J., and I have a disease called "The Baby." Statistics show that 100% of families with children have one like me. These children may learn to walk, talk, and think by themselves -- but their families will never acknowledge it.
I tried the denial thing. I went to college. I got a job. I got married. I acted like an adult. My family even cheered me on. Until I wrecked my car, forgot to feed my husband, left the laundry in the washer for 16 days, and – well – generally acted like The Baby.
Recently I decided to have my family over for an intervention. I would prove that I wanted to be an adult. I would serve them lunch, show them my well-kept house, and have adult-like conversation. Maybe they would even let me move over from the Kiddie Table.
About an hour into the family meeting, I was proud of how things were going. Our adult conversation ranged from how lovely my house was, to how nice the weather was, to how pregnant my aunt felt.
"You don't happen to have a pregnancy test?" she asked.
I couldn't believe it. This was the most important day of my life. My aunt was asking me for a pregnancy test. She was acknowledging that I was an adult.
"Why yes," I said. "I do. I also have a little cup for you to pee in. I use it all the time for my pregnancy tests."
I opened the cabinet but the cup wasn't there.
"That's strange," I said. "It was right…"
I turned just in time to see it. My sister was holding the pregnancy test cup, sipping root beer from it.
I am not making this up.
I couldn't speak. There was only one thing I could do: laugh.
I laughed so hard I cried. My aunt laughed so hard she cried. My mom laughed so hard she cried. My sister just cried. And yelled.
"WHAT were you thinking?" she shouted. "WHO would keep a pregnancy test cup with her drinking cups?"
And silently but truly, we all knew the answer: The Baby would.
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