Doin' What Comes Naturally

I'm thinking that just like baby boys seem to be born with an innate knowledge that cars say, "Vroom," girls may come to earth already knowing how to draw a heart and put their initial plus the initial of the boy they like.  Or maybe its environmentally perpetuated.  Either way, it apparently starts as early as first grade.

Dear Adam,
Thanks you for being my friend cuz I dont get to play with friends at reses som tims. remember that we hat to do this (picture of lines crossing) with are fengers I want to play with you on tuesday askce awer Moms that maybe that we cood play. Shood we be best friends for ever. If you can play on tuesday at my hows or your hows. we will still have fun still and I howp that you can send a card back I would love it if you send a card back.  to Adam from Brooklyn Love Adam.

Personally, I think Brooklyn has great taste.  My first crush was a similarly brown-haired, green-eyed boy named Ben Gunderson.  Of course, I was in the third grade, not the first, and he and my best friend Becky were boyfriend and girlfriend, so I certainly never wrote him a love note.  I do think I developed a type clear back then, though, since - looking back - many of my crushes followed that dark-haired theme, and I even wound up marrying a brown-haired, green-eyed boy.

I encouraged Adam to send a card back.

"Why?"

"So Brooklyn's feelings don't get hurt.  She worked really hard on this card, and she wants to know if you want to be her best friend.  You should probably at least answer her question.  Do you want to be her best friend?"

"Sure."

Apparently another thing boys do naturally: form one word responses to the outpouring of a girl's heart.

I provided a piece of purple paper and then left the issue alone.  This morning, he said, "Oh, Mom... remember that card I need to write for that girl?  I should either do that today or Monday."  I seized the opportunity and helped him spell his answer while I hovered in this distance, unloading the dishwasher.

Certainly not as wordy as hers, he got straight to the issues.  He'd like to play.  He's grateful for the card. No commitments to "best" friendship or usage of the word "love," but he did include a picture and his phone number.

And so it begins.