Boy&&Girl

Inspired by "Girl" written by Jamaica Kincaid

Boy

Rise with the sun, "the only things that come to a sleeping boy are his dreams"; clean your room when your mother asks; hide your mess when we have guests; give your mother a hug when she needs it; tie your tie like this; never use the clip-on; this is how you pound a hammer; this is how you pound a hammer, to pound a nail, to pound in the wood; collect the trash every night; carry the bag outside to the can; tie the bag like this so that it doesn't fall open, so that the cats won't have a feast; read the instructions before using dangerous equipment; read the instructions before grilling your meat; eat steak, and lots of it; don't talk with your mouth full in the presence of women; don't chew with you mouth open in the presence of mom; buckle up, always be safe; always be protected; always use protection; even if you think it was a mistake, never tell her or the baby; support your family; your word is your bond, so don't screw it up; stand tall like this when applying for a job; stand like this when hanging with your friends; stand like this when you want to attract a woman; shake hands with conviction, look people in the eye; never start a fight you are bound to lose; violence is not the answer; but when you do get into a fight, like I know you are bound to do, hold your punch like this; never place you thumb inside your fist; aim for the nose; keep you eye on the target; keep you eye on the ball; play for fun, and then to win; give the game all you've got; do not hit your brother; be patient, let the fish take the bait; let the fish come to you; work hard, play hard; say excuse me; hold the doors for strangers; never drink and drive; set a drinking limit; don't throw the L word around; don't honk the horn, walk up to her doorstep; take the special girl somewhere special; bring her mother flowers, bring her home by curfew; live your life with no regrets; live your life and don't look back.

Girl

This is how to get your needed beauty sleep; this is how to wash the dishes, and how to stack them to dry; this is how to separate the laundry by color; this is how to start the washer; this is how to stop the dryer; this is how to fold your father's aloha shirts; this is how to match his socks; this is why you shouldn't hide your face with makeup, God made you naturally pretty; this is how you buy your clothes; this is how I return your clothes when they are too tight; this is how you sit in a skirt; this is how you sit up straight; this is how you eat spaghetti; this is how you air kiss your aunties; this is how you bake a cake; this is how you bake one that tastes good; don't walk alone in dark alleys; this is how you pretend you're on the phone, when you don't want to talk to someone; this is how you hang up the phone, when you don't want to talk to someone; this is how you walk with confidence, and hold your chin up high, but not too high that people take you as a snob; stay away from mud when wearing good shoes; choose the right shoes for a rainy day; this is how to greet your enemy; this is how you greet your friends; this is how you greet your boyfriend; this is how you greet your mom; this is how to make a bed; this is how to fluff the pillows; this is how to write a thankyou card; this is how to wrap a present; this is how you check the expiration date before making a purchase; this is how to test the apples for bruises; this is how to give a hug; always go to the bathroom in pairs; ; this is how you keep a secret to yourself; this is how you whisper it to one special friend; this is how you stay true to yourself; this is how you don't give in to peer pressure; this is how you find a man that is in love with you; this is how you show a man you love him; this is how you stay out of trouble; this is how to wait until you are ready; this is how to stay safe; this is how you tell a jerk to go away; this is what you do if he won't; this is how you say I love you without using words; this is how to persevere; this is how to hope; this is how to love.