Guys, Mom, and a Boat

About a week ago, my mom and I went on a cruise. A Twilight cruise to be exact. But this post isn't about the Twilight or the cruise, it's about something that happened along the way. To understand this better you have to know that I have always been a big girl. Since I was about 7 I have been REALLY overweight, I managed to loose some when I was about 16. Tack on having 3 kids and it put me back over the top, weight-wise. Then, at the beginning of this year something sparked and I started managing what I ate and working out, alot. I managed to drop past my lowest weight I had ever been at 16 which was 138 to a now 115 (this is a healthy weight because of my height, I am very short, 5 ft to be exact). I have never been "popular' with the guys as a love interest, just hanging out as friends; usually because they liked my friends. Now that you have that bit of info, I can get to the point.

Apparently, if you ask my mom, I was a "hot commodity" to the staff of guys on the ship. One in particular was a photographer (the ones that go around and take pictures of the events and such for you to buy later). My mom thought he was the cutest, sweetest thing and he "was so taken with me" (her words, not mine). One evening, after a little to drink, my mom wants to talk to me about how I am treating this guy, etc. Now, in all honesty, I have talked to him when he stops to say hi and I am sociable with him (as anyone else, I am a very social person) but I didn't insinuate or suggest anything (I am married!) nor did I lead him on in any way. However, my mom started saying things like: I "shouldn't lead him on if I wasn't going to follow through with anything" and "he is so sweet, don't break his heart, he really likes you", blah blah blah. Now I am NOT stupid, I mean these guys are on a ship for months and months at a time, they are gonna sleep around (not all but most, and we even had some of them told us this).  I am flabbergasted, I mean SERIOUSLY?!!! I am married, happily and to me, this is out of nowhere!! I go on to tell her all these things and she replies with "I know that you aren't use to this kind of attention (which is true) so, I don't want you to jump on a guy because he is showing you attention and you don't know how to flirt. You should be more playful with them." Again, my jaw drops! Didn't she just contradict herself? UGH!!! I mean I don't get where all of this came from! I was being nice, just like I am with anyone else and she jumps on me for not doing anything with this guy..., then proceeds to say that she doesn't want me to do anything just because of the attention and I should flirt and be more playful!?!

Now, I love my mom, I do. She just has these moments (usually with the help of alcohol). My sisters and I have learned to say whatever in the moment then to just let it go. After the conversation I was a little miffed, so I went to the event that was going on that night and along the way wanna know what I saw? This guy, this sweet, cute guy was all out flirting with another girl. See!!!! I told you, they do that and probably to every girl they find pretty! The next day, my mom didn't really remember the whole thing.So, I reminded her and clued her in on the fact that the guy wasn't at all upset at the fact that I didn't jump him, there were plenty of other girls on the ship.