Molly's Entourage

My apologies to Molly. I've been describing her as not as up to speed in the boy department as her sister. I've known that Molly has lots of friends, some of those being boys, but....

Annie and I were picking Molly up from the last day of school yesterday afternoon, and I was not surprised to see a big group of girlfriends crowding around her with hugs and yearbooks and cameras. What I was a little surprised to see was 3 boys on the edge of the crowd trying to worm their way into the center. I've heard these names come up in conversation many times, but I thought they were just friends. One boy I knew at one time had professed to "like" Molly - that boy was sporting an I Love New York t-shirt and trying the hardest to get a good-bye hug. He's the one who is also a Beatles fan and has been known to sing Molly songs like " I Wanna Hold Your Hand." He is also going to be the heartthrob of the group when Molly is long gone in NY and missing what a handsome devil she passed up. He's also going to be a famous author. Another boy supposedly "likes" one of Molly's other friends. I have long been suspicious of this - he is ALWAYS around Molly. He e-mails her 3 times a day. He gave her a book by her favorite author. And yesterday he paid absolutely no attention to any girl but Molly and gave her no less than 5 good-bye hugs. He is also the one Molly has "liked" all year, but has been smart enough to keep her mouth shut about it. The 3rd boy is also always hanging around and teasing Molly. It is all thankfully very innocent and 5th grader-ish:) And she flits around amongst all the attention oblivious - still much more into running around and giggling with the girls.

Anna, during all this, was approximately 2 inches from any 5th grader's personal space she was observing, mouth open, taking scrupulous mental notes about how all this works. And simultaneously getting picked up and hugged by Molly's friends.

Poor Moll - back to the bottom of the pile next year in sixth grade, new school, new town, new social order. I think she'll be all right, but it will be tough.

And things will be tough for Daddy Jeff when these 2 girls of his start getting and giving serious attention from and to boys!