she's got Huge... tracts of land!

My 11 yr old daughter keeps trying to get me to try on clothes with her when we go shopping for her. I've explained a couple of times that I'd love to, but they don't have my size in the store. I have to go to the Fat Chick Stores. I'm at the upper end of Regular sized so I can occasionally find something that will fit, but the accompanying frustration with finding that something just ain't worth it. I'm in the smallest size of the fat chicks usually, and sometimes I'm in the No (wo)Man's Land inbetween. That imaginary line in the sand... Beyond Here There Be Dragons!! (for sure!)

Anyway, where was I...? Oh yes, my daughter: shopping with.

A little while ago, while I was explaining this size segregation to her she stopped flicking through a rack, looked over at me, puzzlement on her face, and said "why?". As in "why aren't there all kinds of sizes in this store??!"

And for a split second I saw it through her eyes. Just learning how to shop for clothes and other yummies, judging what would be a good colour and whether or not she can run around during recess in it (ie Cartwheel Coverage) ... I saw past the judgement and discrimination and thought 'Yeah! Why aren't there all kinds of sizes in this store...?!? We humans come in all sizes and shapes... why isn't there more variety??'

It was nice. A brief respite from the pressure, that constant Not One of Us feeling that I carry with me whenever I go into a Regular-sized store with her.

And then I thought "ooohh, something to blog about!" and went back to my real life.