James remembers riding home with his dad from his music lesson. He is seven or eight. His father asks if he likes his new music teacher. James not only likes him; he’s thrilled. “I’m real sweet on him, Dad,” he tells me he replied. His father punches James hard in the arm, as if in fun. “Do not say ‘you’re sweet’ on a man, James. Girls say that.” “You hurt me,” James protested. “I meant to.” “But, why?” “That’s just spice, James. That’s so you’ll remember. Now, do not whine about it. You’ll be sounding just like a girl again.”
