To preface this account, I need to first explain that when I was a teenager I was, quite simply, a nerd. Sometimes I tried to be cool, but I really didn't understand much of the subtleties of either fashion or flirting. I had a good amount of friends, but in hindsight most of them were probably as inept as I was. The way I describe it now is that I "didn't even understand teenagers when I WAS one."
This past weekend my husband and I spent the whole weekend with teenagers from our church. Despite my earlier inadequacies, I had a lot of fun with them and realized that I probably "understand" a lot more now than I did as a teenager. One little thing I observed is still completely amusing and somewhat confusing though.
Part of the weekend was spent at a ropes course where the "kids" were all taking turns attempting the challenges. This provided a good deal of down time as they waited for everyone to have a chance at each challenge.
During some of this down time, two of the guys were working very hard to flirt with two of the girls. These girls were suitably impressed and were working just as hard to flirt back. For one of the challenges, the participants went with a partner, completely harnessed and wearing helmets. The two boys were going as a pair, and the two girls were waiting to be able to use their helmets. I overheard one girl ask the other, "So whose helmet do YOU want?"
I nearly laughed out loud. I admit that as a teenager I might have considered it romantic to wear the sweaty helmet of a cute boy I'd just been flirting with. And I'll even admit that I might have found it disgusting to put on the helmet that was just used by someone repulsive to me.
But it makes me wonder a few things. Obviously the girls thought about this or I wouldn't have overheard the comment. I wonder if the boys even considered which girl they would give the helmet to, and if so, did THEY discuss it amongst themselves? And either way, why does it even matter which helmet you get? They are two identical sweaty helmets that have both been worn by 50+ kids in the past 4 hours. And it's not like the boys know that you have been conspiring and trying to decide which one to get your helmet from.
Would you have thought about something like that as a teenager? Enough to talk to your friend about which person you would share head sweat with?
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5 comments:
Absolutely. It's a weird kind of intimacy that you can't get any other way (legitimately).
Carolyn, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I'm sorry I didn't say it earlier when I saw you. Heather just told me it was your day. It was fun to see you guys today. By the way, I totally would have had that conversation when I was a teenager. But I wouldn't have wanted either helmet.
THANKS!! It was fun to see you guys there today too. I think we're going to try to go on Thursday too...
And I totally agree -- I wouldn't have wanted either helmet. Especially 'cause back then I was overly concerned about things like head lice and stuff. I didn't let my GIRL friends borrow my hair picks (nobody used brushes back then 'cause everyone had a perm, right?)
Anyway, there is no way I would have wanted to put something on my head that had been on their head. Maybe a jacket or sweatshirt (even if it was sweaty) but not a helmet :)
haha- that is pretty funny and sadly yes- totally something that I would have thought of as a teenager- who knows why :)
Looks like I missed your bday?? Happy late birthday!! Was great to see you at the concert- we need to get together and go swimming :)
Amber, no "sweat" about the bday. It was the day of the concert, so just *seeing* you guys there was as good as any formal thing you could have said.
In fact, I kind of went to the concert as a "I'm GOING to do something fun today," so seeing you and Diana there, just added the icing to the cake, so to speak... :)
And yes, we need to go to the pool. Maybe next week?
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