Bad words, revisited

So Jessica comes home to tell me about a new student who is learning boundaries.

Me: Tell your teacher if he’s too much of an ass.

Jessica: I will, except I won’t call him an a-s-s.

Me: Probably wise.

Jessica: Did you use bad language at school?

Me: Not in front of anyone who would call my mother.

Jessica: Did your parents use bad language?

Me: Nope.

Jessica: Then where did you learn it?

Me: Probably from my friends.

Jessica: Your friends? So you used bad language with your friends. You still use bad language with your friends.

Me: Yes.

Jessica: Do your friends use bad language with other people?

Me: I guess.

Jessica: Or maybe it’s just you.

Me: Wait, I’m the bad influence on other people?

Jessica: I did not say that. That is something you figured out for yourself.

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My collection of travel stories, Travels with Jessica, is now available! Kindle and paperback here; other ebook formats here.

And I’ve published my essay “For Jessica” as a small book. Kindle and paperback here; other ebook formats here.

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