The first time I heard those words, it was coming from the mouth
of my mother. At the age of 37, she was going through the last
time the experiences of being a mother. At age 11, I had little clue as to
what it took to create a child, let alone what would happen in a few short
months to my own mother. My parents did not tell me the REAL story of how a
child is created until two years later.

(The following is extracted from "Patches and Pins or the Quest for the
Silver Beaver..." by Mike Walton.)


I'm Having A Baby!


The first time I heard those words, it was coming from the mouth
of my mother. At the age of 37, she was going through the last
time the experiences of being a mother. At age 11, I had little clue as to
what it took to create a child, let alone what would happen in a few short
months to my own mother. My parents did not tell me the REAL story of how a
child is created until two years later.

I considered "having a baby" one of those "taboos" that my mother
advised me NEVER to do, unless I was married and then after a
careful decision about how to raise it. See, my mother's father left home
right after he was told that he was her father. She's
never gotten over the fact that he was right across town, and saw
her grow up, but never really acknowledge the fact: That he was
Moseanna's father. That's the way things were back then, and according to
my Mom, that's the way things are now. "If you get a girl pregnant, Micheal
(I *hate* it when she called me that!), YOU take care of it and YOU give it
a name."

***********

I *finally* got a girl pregnant, and although it was a surprise to her, I
knew it right away. I've always had this "thing" where I can look at a
woman's face and eyes and *tell* that she's "gonna
have a child". I told Mildred that for almost two months before
she finally admitted that she was pregnant.

One of the first things I did was to tell the seventeen boys in Troop 102.
"I'm having a baby", I announced toward the end of the Troop meeting.
Almost everyone laughed, and those few boys that were not aware of the
"joke" right off, joined in when their peers
informed them (quietly)that "guys can't have babies".

"Okay, okay. My WIFE is having a baby. I'm telling you guys this because I
know that there will be some changes to what I can do
with you because of it."

"Like what?", one of my Scouts asked. Neal, one of my smart-alecks,
responded for me. "He'll have to learn how to change diapers without being
peed on!" That lit up the room once again.

"I don't see what's so funny,", stated Tony Song. "I change my
sister's diapers all of the time. Mike," he turned to me, "If you
need some lessons on how to change diapers, I'll be happy to show
you!" He smiled as he looked down to the concreted floor, as if
he was ashamed as well as proud.

"How do all of you feel about me bringing my child to Troop meetings?", I
asked, trying to take the "stares" from Tony and get the conversation back
on track. "Or campouts?"

Two hands were raised, and I recognized Steven Basso, the son of my boss's
boss, the Battalion Commander. "I don't think she's old
enough to go on a campout, but Troop meetings...I don't care. How
about it, guys?" Many of the guys responded "Yeah".

********************

Amanda was born on a Monday, and Mondays were our Troop meeting nights. One
of thing I talked with my newborn about was the fact that she would be
"going places with my Scouts". I brought Mandy
to the following month's first Troop meeting and introduced her to each
Scout. I stood outside the meeting building, beside the car in which Mildred
was sitting inside, observing closely every wrong
thing I was doing with her baby. Amanda was bundled up warmly
even though it was quite warm on that August evening.

"Scouts. This is my daughter Amanda. Amanda Lauren. Amanda,
these are the guys I was telling you about. I hope you get to know them as
well as I do." The newborn was not moved in the slightest, and just moved
her head and black eyes from image to
image as one by one, each Scout had an opportunity to hold, touch
her tiny fingers, and observe a grown man with a newborn child.
A couple of Scouts even cooed and "kitche-kitche-koo"ed as she gurgled and
took hold of fingers and neckerchief ends.

"I thought she would be bigger", Evan said aloud. Steven replied
"Duh...she wouldn't been able to come out if she was!" It was obious that
his parents have talked with him about children and
where they come from. Then, from out of practically nowhere, came
a larger voice.

Yelling.

Cussing.

I took Amanda and returned her to the car, strapped her into the
child-restaint seat, and returned back to where the voice seemed to be
coming from.

It was too late. Neal's father had already left, with Neal in tow, whipping
him and yelling at him as they moved quickly back up the hill toward their
apartment. "I TOLD you about being around those....".

Neal was caught, red-handed. Being a Scout.

Neal had been "sneaking", attending our meetings. His mother signed him up
and told me NEVER to call the home when her husband was home. It took me a
couple of times to find out why. Neal
never owned a uniform, but took special care of the neckerchief we give each
of our Scouts when they became Scouts.

I ran back to the car, and told Mildred to go on home, that I would get a
ride with Mike Miller, my Second Assistant Scoutmaster. Then, I corralled
everyone downstairs to the meeting room in the basement of the visiting
officer's quarters.

"What is WITH that man?", Evan asked, slamming his hand against the painted
concrete walls. His voice repeated itself in the empty hallway. "Scouts
ain't all THAT bad!"

"Some parents believe that Scouts aren't for their children," I
replied, opening the door and then turning on the lights to the main meeting
room. "Some people believe that Scouting gives their
children some bad things to believe in."

"Why does Neal's father get so bent about Scouts, though? It's not like
we're all running around in dresses or something..." I did not have an
answer, but I was going to confront Neal's father and find out.

"Have you changed a diaper yet?", Tony asked, tugging on my sleeve to bring
me back to the present.

"Have you rocked her to sleep yet, Mike?", Steven asked from across the
hallway in the Quartermaster room.

"Do you sing "Pink Pajamas" to her?", another Scout asked. "Pink
Pajamas", sung to the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic,
was the Troop's song, proudly sung at the end of each campout.

"Will you let her become a Scout when she grows up?", Brian asked.


Settummanque!