Never assume anything!

I really put my foot in my mouth at my son's baseball game a couple of weeks ago. I was taking pictures behind the fence along the first base line and there was a man standing beside me taking pictures as well. He was obviously a parent from the opposing team, as he called out to the first baseman, "You forgot your cap!"

So the kid runs back to the dugout to retrieve the baseball cap and returns to first base. I turn to the man and say, "Is she yours?"

The man looks at me and says, "Yes, HE is."

The kid looked just like a girl! He had long, beautiful blonde hair almost halfway down his back. We have a girl on our team, so it's not out of the ordinary to see girls on other teams. I made an assumption, and boy, was I wrong!

I was mortified! I quickly apologized and the man was very nice about it, saying it happens all the time. He said his son was a great kid and didn't give him a minute's trouble and he figured allowing him to grow his hair wasn't such a big deal.

I asked the man if it bothers his son that people sometimes mistake him for a girl and he said it doesn't.

My other son plays on a soccer team with another long-haired boy, who I initially thought was a girl. Luckily I didn't embarrass myself by referring to him as a girl in front of his parents. I think my face is still red from the first encounter.

Sheesh! I didn't know long hair on boys was back in style. I'm going to be walking around in a constant state of confusion. Folks, never assume anything!