Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Satiating Songbird

Okay, so now some funnier things about being adopted! See that beautiful Southern California woman in this photo? That's my mom. When she would proudly show me off to strangers, the normal comment was, "Oh! She must look a lot like her father!" My mother, getting her own private giggle out of it, would usually just reply, "Well, I suppose she does!" We made a strange-looking pair - the tall, blonde, blue-eyed goddess and the plump, knappy-headed street baby.

That curly hair? Well, it got MUCH curlier as I aged. I'll have to dig up some photos (now that I have a working scanner) of JUST how curly it got. I literally had an afro when I was about 18 months old. And my skin just got darker. To manage the hair, mom started parting it and braiding it - sometimes leaving it in braids when I went to bed. But my hair as a youth will have to wait for a different post, b/c that is an odd tale all by its lonesome. This photo to the right is one of my favorites of us - I had it blown up for her on Mother's Day one year. It shows the typical mother-daughter relationship. Me causing havoc, and Mom having to clean up after me.

Now for the story that Songbird mentioned. I live in a very rural part of Arkansas, in a town of 5,600 folks; the county population nears 20,000. At the time I got pregnant with the kiddo, I believe there may have been one black person in town. And I had heard stories of hangings in the late 1960's of the very few people of color that had dared make any attempt to reside here. At some point during my pregnancy, it just hit me. As Songbird so eloquently recalls, "It was just so hilarious because your panic happened so suddenly. It was like one day you woke up and this thought sprang into your mind. 'Holy Crap!!!! I could have a black child!!!!' Then, in typical Tiffany fashion, you couldn't shut up about it. You obsessed for the rest of your pregnancy about having a black child." Which is true. I was panicked. Terrified. I literally asked my husband how he would feel if, indeed, this child turned out to be noticeably black. Who knows what genetics could be lurking in my background? We were ready to move out of town, if need be. It became this worry, all through my pregnancy.

However, all my fears were laid to rest. Unfortunately, blogger is not cooperating with me on this last photo, but as you can see here, I didn't have a black baby. I was not run out of town, nor hung from the gallows.

11 comments:

Silly Hily said...

You were so cute and your mom was so pretty. And she cleaned up after you with a smile on her face. Those are both really good pictures.
Glad you weren't hung from the gallows. :-) Too funny.
I also loved looking at your pics on you Flicker page. The one with you and your husband kissing and your daughter looking at you all "eeeew" is great.

SongBird said...

Well, it's about time!! And for the record....I think whoever told you about hangings in the 60's was pulling your leg.

Karmyn R said...

You are so funny. That makes me laugh - however, those pregnancy hormones do make your mind crazy.

Love the pic of you and your mom - and the appropriately placed Coca-Cola can!!! So - All American. hee hee

karla said...

I love those pictures! So cute!

Pamela said...

This is turning out to be an awesome storyline ... you lived it, so it probably bounces you between the walls.

But, for us (bloodthirsty barbarians).... it's a reassuring and wonderful tale worthy of it's space.

Claudia said...

What a beautiful story...I love how she handled the comments from people and made it an inside joke for you two.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! All of you :) People often tell my daughter and I that we look exactly alike. We laugh now. Not bothering to tell them I'm her StepMom. People always told me I looked just like my Step Dad. And I do look more like my SD then my birth father.

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to see more photos of your hair!

Your mom is so lovely, wow.

Another Chance Ranch said...

Hee Hee!! Great story! Love the photos! When I was a little one I asked my Mom why my Dad was black. He is not black. He just worked outside and had a really dark tan. When we would go to the lake he was two-toned. LOL

C... said...

I just read your last two posts. I think you birth mother did the only thing she knew how to do given whatever circumstances she was facing. It sounds like you are at least at peace with what you have experienced. It's not wrong to want to know her.

ninjapoodles said...

You are right, that picture is amazing, and I bet your mom treasures it. HOW HAPPY WERE YOU? My husband is adopted, and we often joke about his imaginary, "swarthy" biological parents...because there hasn't been a whiter white boy since..I dunno...Vikings?

You are beautiful.

Also, how did I not know you are local to me? Or maybe I forgot. But seriously, let's meet sometime, for real! email me, Gaw-juss!

ninjapoodlesATgmailDOTcom