Niece To Meet You

(I’m 12 years old. I’m taking my three-year-old niece to the park. My sister is at the take-out shop across the road to get food. I’m pushing my niece while she’s on the swing. We’re having fun until a woman comes up.)

Woman: “How dare you!”

Me: “How dare I what?”

Woman: “How dare you bring your child out here! It’s like you’re trying to tell people that teenage pregnancy is okay!”

Me: “Ma’am, I’m a pre-teen, only twelve. I get mistaken as a thirteen or fourteen year old due to my height.”

Woman: “That’s worse! I bet you don’t even take care of that child! I bet she’s neglected! I bet you’re stupid!”

Me: “Okay, this is my niece, who belongs to my 25-year-old sister!”

Woman: “Well, where IS your sister?”

(At that moment I see my sister coming out of the shop. I point to her.)

Me: “There.”

Woman: “She has black hair; you have blonde hair.”

(My sister approaches.)

Sister: “Hey, is this a new friend? You seem to be making friends with people older than you.”

Me: “Actually, this woman said that your daughter was mine, so I was straightening it out. But she crossed the line saying that [niece] was neglected, and that I was stupid.”

Sister: “How DARE you say that! I take care of my daughter and my little sister could possibly be smarter than ME!”

(The woman runs off.)

Me: “Well, that proves it. If you anger a mother, you must have a death wish…”