Generational Misunderstandings

In 1991, when our son was set to graduate from Marine basic training at Parris Island, SC my husband and I, and our son's current girlfriend Becky, were there to proudly watch the ceremony. We lived on Amelia Island in Florida at the time, so it was just a few hours drive for the three of us to make the trip.

I didn't know Becky all that well, but I have always (it seems) been able to communicate well with young people. Maybe it is because I remember how I was treated when I was younger, and I resolved to do better when I grew up.

An unfortunate incident had happened to Becky before our trip. She was still in high school on the island and when she was on campus after school one day some kids had beaten her up. I never got the whole story, but she did sustain some visible abrasions, as we were to see when we picked her up for this graduation trip. She and I had talked on the phone several times before the trip, and I had alerted my husband so that he wouldn't be shocked at her appearance.

The three of us attended Family Day the night before the graduation, and it was so good to see that our son had survived boot camp. As much as I was aching to talk to him alone, I knew he would want to be with his girlfriend more, so we gave them plenty of time to talk alone. Becky had wanted to tell our son about the fight at school herself, and as much as I was irked that she had insinuated herself into what should have been a happy occasion, I was trying to be an adult about all this.

Family Day came to an end that evening, and after a nice supper together, the three of us went back to our respective motel rooms to get some rest.

The next morning we met Becky at the restaurant near the motel, and while my husband was away from the table, she and I caught up on what our son might have said about her obvious injuries. She knew that I was aware that they had been alone for some time out of our eyesight, so in all innocence inquired, "Did he kiss your boo-boos?" The look on her face was a mixture of puzzlement and incredulousness that I had asked such a thing. She said, "My what?". My face turned red, and then the two of us began to giggle as I explained what I had really been asking. The rest of the day went much better than my breakfast conversation.