Everyone's Got an Opinion II

I remember when Liba was really pregnant in New York, she told me that everyone had an opinion about her belly - if it was a boy or a girl. I didn't go out with her too much, but she told me this a few times, and I said, "yeah, yeah. I'm sure they all have an opinion."

...Until we went out for dinner, which included walking down the street, three days before she gave birth. We stopped in to CVS for a second, and the lady behind us in line gave an unsolicited pat and told her she was having a boy. The cashier got in on the conversation and also let her know that she was having a boy. Someone else walking down the street also told her she was having a boy. The kicker, though, was the totally drunk lady who was lying on the sidewalk. She was not conscious, yet she sat up, said, "it's a boy," and then went back to being passed out. Honest. I was blown away. Who knew that so many people cared?! Well...maybe that's just New York City where everything is everyone's business.

Nope - it's Singapore also. A couple of days ago I saw a woman in the elevator, and I always see her walking around my floor. We were going from the 8th floor to the 1st floor. We introduced ourselves, we told each other what we do at the bank. She asked when I was due, and I told her October 2nd. She said, "it's July, and you're due in October. You're huge! Have you been feeling alright?" Well, lady - I just met you five seconds ago (seven floors up...), and it's the END of July, and the baby's due at the BEGINNING of October, and yeah, I feel great. What's it to you?

The next day I was meeting a bunch of my ex-colleagues for lunch, and I showed up, and they said, "you're not even big! We thought you would be huge by now!"

I'm big, I'm small, I'm pointed, I'm rounded...

Another day this week I was having lunch with a friend and a whole bunch of containers happened to fall on me. They were empty, and it was no big deal at all, but the ladies at the restaurant (all Thai ladies at a great Thai restaurant) starting freaking when they saw that I was pregnant. They were all over the belly and told me it's a boy. Just clean up your containers and let me get back to my green curry.

Overall, I think over a hundred people have told us that they think it's a boy. I have two opinions that say it's a girl. How do people know? Why does everyone want to guess? I keep telling them that I'll let them know in a few months.

Another ex-pat lady in the elevator said, "oh, you're pregnant. So exciting! When are you due? And I bet that everyone here tells you you're having a boy? Yup - that's what they told me too, and I had a beautiful girl."