I am reading a library book / memoir(One Good Egg by Suzy Becker) in which the protagonist undergoes multiple fertility treatments, finally gets a positive pregnancy test, and then begins bleeding just as her sister has a baby. She goes to pick her father up from the airport.
"I was sobbing over my windshield by the time he got there. 'How much is it Sue?'
I looked. 'Fifteen dollars.' He handed me the twenty once we were in the car and said, 'Linda told me some of what you're going through, which helped me put everything in perspective. She explained how when you undertake this kind of thing, the thing you're undertaking, you mentally prepare yourself, you're psychologically prepared for anything.' He paused. 'I am here this weekend to celebrate being a grandfather.'"
(page 113)
Welcome to the real world.
Baby girl.
Hope your body functions exactly the way it's supposed to, and if it doesn't...
Tough Shit.
~~~~~
Wait, wait, wait! WHAT???
Finally, finally, finally they get pregnant with a boy baby, and....
"I looked at Lorene; her face had clouded over.
'Wait, what about your vision? I thought you knew it was a boy!'
'I know, it's--I guess I was still hoping we'd get a girl.' She looked at the nurse. 'I already have a son. Daughters are supposed to take care of you..."
(pg 146)
Boys are from Mars and Do Whatever You Want...
Girls are from Get Pregnant or You're Not Good Enough, and Take Care of Your Parents, Because Boys Don't Do That?
~~~~~
Oh. Well. Sometimes, people do get what they want. At least in some corners of the world, being female is the preferred gender. For whatever reason....
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