Morning Conversation

This was the morning conversation between myself and my 13 year-old daughter.

J: I'm hungry.

Me: Do you want some toast?

J: Zingerman's bread.

Me: Do you want anything on it?

J: Butter.

Me: Do you want some honey on that?

J: NO! I JUST WANT BUTTER!!!!

Me: You can walk to school if you keep yelling at me like that.

J: I'M NOT WALKING TO SCHOOL!!!

Me: What's going on? What's the problem this morning?

J: YOU! You are the problem! You're always the problem!

Me: I'm the source of all your problems?

J: Yes!

Me: (laugh)

J: It's not funny!

Me: I know. I know.

(pause)

J: I'm sorry for yelling. Can you drive me?

Me: OK. Let's go.

J: Where's my jacket?

Me: How would I know?

Mornings are not my daughter's best times, especially when school starts at 7:30 am. I call her "Beauty and the Beast." Beauty at night. Beast in the morning. I remind myself that she's both. Not just Beauty. Not just Beast. Maybe all of us are, really.