Taller

I think--

Given the choice

I was given the choice

I said ‘Yes’

We were looking

At the possibility

Of him being--

This wasn’t like a 5’9 situation

He would have been--

Not, uh, a...whatever

The terminology is

For a person

Who is, um, clinically short

But he would have been

On that line

And we were given

The option

To do something about that

So I said ‘Okay’

Now, if someone came to you

And said--

Your kid is going to be ugly

But you can change that

Would you--

Your kid is going to have

Really bad acne

Would you change that

If you could?

People do

People get skin cream

For their kids

They get their kids braces

To fix their teeth

They don’t say--

We love him just the way he is

So just stay that way

People are saying--

Who’s to say taller is better?

But you know the way

They treat tall people

Versus how they treat

People who are short

Particularly men, right?

Once I became a parent

I just didn’t have the patience

To mince words

About how I know the world to be

I don’t have--

I can’t have these theoretical arguments

With people

About how the world could be

Or how it’s perceived to be

I know how it is

And I know how

It’s going to be

For my kid

And I know

That if he’s taller

It’s going to be

Easier for him

I just know that

Would I rather my kid

Be rich or poor?

Rich

Happy or sad?

Happy

Blue eyes or brown eyes?

I think blue eyes are nicer

That doesn’t make me a monster

That makes me the guy

Who gets to say

What my kid’s name is

Because he’s my kid

And so why is that different than saying--

Yeah, I guess if I have a choice

Give him blues eyes

Make him tall

And if you can pre-disposition him, uh,

Away from, you know

Disease--

Great

We’re already playing god

The minute--

The minute you become a parent

You start playing a god

And you don’t stop

For a long time

So this idea that--

People--

There are people

That get kids

Who aren’t what they want

And they beat those kids

And hurt those kids

And humiliate those kids

Because those aren’t the kids

They wanted

And what I’m saying is--

Somebody came to me

And said--

Tell me about the kid you want

And that’ll be the kid you have

Why would I walk away

From somebody saying that?

Why would I say ‘No’

To getting what I want

And knowing

That what I want

Is going to result

In a much happier person

Existing on this earth?

Why?

Can you tell me why?

He’s going to be tall

Tall and smart and--

And a lot of things

That maybe he wouldn’t have been

If I hadn’t said ‘Okay’

When somebody offered

To step in

And give him

Some guarantees

And I--

I don’t get--

I…

I don’t get

What’s wrong

With that

I don’t get

Why you get to tell me

What’s best

For my kid