Hey Mister !

 

Hey Mister? : I have a neighbor, she is just 19. Still a teenager really. She found herself as an adult early. She got pregnant with a little boy. Never went to college. And is working as a manager of sorts at a local Taco Bell. She is making a tiny wage really. Less money by two thirds than I made working out of college at part time jobs in the auto industry. But she is managing. Sometimes I try to help her out with a secret grass cut. She had a boyfriend, who I think was the father of her child. He also was a quite young man. And truthfully as a Dad to 18 kids over 35 years not very responsible. They split up, and she came over one day to "check on me". Which I thought was sweet. But what she really wanted was affirmation, that she was still pretty & desirable. I am old enough to be her great grandpa really. But I gave her verbally what she needed to hear. That she still was a beautiful young women and that things would improve with effort, and one man is never the end. I tried to get across the need to improve her work skills and find something better for herself in life. Teens being what they are I think it kinda missed the mark. They always "Know Better", LoL. While we were talking her very young son, maybe 4. Kept trying to talk. But we kinda ignored him and just kept talking. Finally in supreme aggravation he looked at me directly and said very loudly Hey Mister Can I Talk To You?. I looked at him and smiled. I said Yes You Can Sir 🙂 . He told me a few things about his life, and suddenly was content that "He Had Been Heard" and was acknowledged as a sentient human being. It made me realize that young or old all we really want in life is for someone to say, yes I see you. Yes I understand that you have feelings and emotions, and YES YOU MATTER. You have value and are as important in life as I am. It was a simple equation that sometimes most of us miss. It's a function of Love. That I am real and have a need to be heard. Though far removed from being 4 years old. I was handed a wise lesson, even from a child. ❤ -Gary