F-in Steve

I feel super special because I have been harassed to post again!!! YAY!!! lol! Sorry I have taken so long- I have been uber busy! but NO EXCUSES!

ONWARD...

Please look at this picture:



Yes, they are real. One of our clients from my job#1 (I have two) is located in an office building with this displayed in all it's glory for people to view. Odd, I know. Also, kinda sad. I don't like stuffed animals. However, this made me think of a funny story from my childhood.

[THIS STORY IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION]
I once had a stepdad named Steve. He was cool, in that only ate cheesestakes, cigarette smoking, beer drinking, using the f-bomb more times in a sentence than the letter e, rough around the edges, scared the hell outta 9 year old me, sorta way. He meant well, but we were just different people. Even though my family was loud, he was loud in a different kinda way, and he scared me! Poor guy, I think he really did try to relate to me too. It was the f-bomb every other word that was probably too much for my do-gooder personality. (I did not use curse words until I was like 20)

So one day, my absolute favorite teacher, Mrs. Edwards, taught us about Polar Bears! It was so fascinating and amazing that I told everyone I encountered about these new tidbits of info!!! That weekend, my mom picked me and Missy up and Steve was with her. When we stopped at a gas station and my mom was in the store (or pumping gas or something) my excitement of the new info trumped my Steve fear. I told Steve all about Polar Bears having black skin, and translucent, hollow hair, and that they reflect the whiteness of the snow, etc. He cut me off mid info sharing.

"Who the f told you that s?" (the italic letters represent the corresponding curse word)

I was stunned silent for a moment. I timidly answered, "My teacher, Mrs. Edwards." He could not believe it. "S, what the f kinda f-in teachers they f-in got in these motherf-in schools that she would f-in tell you some motherf-in bs like this s!!?!?!" He was genuinely pissed. "What kinda f-in sense does that f-in make that a motherf-in polar bear would f-in have black a skin and f-in see through motherf-in hair. What the f kinda f-in teacher was this?

I tried to stick up for my teacher but did not have the courage and the response was always similar to the above. At some point in time I started to silently cry. The only moment of hope was when my mom opened the car door and got it. But before I could murmur anything he said, "Do you f-in know what the f they are teaching your f-in daughter in these motherf-in schools?! These f-in teachers, I'll tell ya, its f-in crazy!" At which point he described the Polar Bear info incorrectly and slightly exaggerated and made me and Mrs. Edwards look ridiculous.

He could use the f word as a noun, preposition, adjective, you name it. His skill in the art of the f word was and still is unmatched to this day. I barely do it justice. It was, without a doubt, his favorite and most-used word.

It sounds kinda sad, but I laugh at this story! It is hilarious, but I was blown away at the time. I hope you guys think it is funny too. He genuinely was concerned about my education, he just did not know how to show it. And it cracks me up that he had absolutely no filter for a 9 year old. We did eventually get comfortable around each other, but it took quite a while. I just don't think he understood little kids, let alone little girls AT ALL.

Truthfully, the only thing that affected me long term was the fact that I didn't stick up for my teacher whom I admired and respected. From then on, if anyone challenged my info I vehemently stuck up for those facts!

moral of the story: (there are 2)
1. Stick up for what you know is right, and the people whom you respect
2. Sometimes people mean well, or at least don't mean harm, but just do not know how to relate (give each other a chance)