Car Chats

 Mom and Dad love our time in the car, listening to conversations between me and Ryan. A couple of recent exchanges stand out:

• Kelsey: "I don't like boys. They smell so bad. Like they never take baths."
• Ryan (after a minute of thoughtful silence): "Do you like me? And Dad?"
• Kelsey: "Yeah. You smell good."  

Mom always tries to fit life lessons or nuggets of wisdom in the car. Like the time a One Direction song was on and I asked why the boy was sad that the girl didn't like him. Mom had just watched an episode of The Bachelor the night before and was fed up with the rejected girls who generalized that they were unlovable just because one guy didn't pick them, which is probably why she launched into this lecture:

• Mom (talking to me): "In the future if you like a boy and he doesn't like you back, it doesn't mean there is something wrong with you. It just means that particular boy wasn't right for you. Simple as that. Don't read magazines about how to change yourself to make him like you, and don't fall apart thinking that nobody will ever like you."
• Ryan (looking over at me): "I like you."