The other day, my mother decided to call me to tell me a joke.

Mom: Eunice-ah, (Kore­ans tend to add –ah to names) Gabriel and I were talk­ing about kids. Did you know he wants two boys?
Me: Oh, yeah? Why?
Mom: He doesn’t want to worry so much about girls. Any­way, I have a joke!
Me: What is it, Umma?
Mom: Well, I said that I was so smart by hav­ing one girl and one boy. Your father wanted a girl! And, so I made a girl. Every­one else wanted a boy next! So, I made a boy!
Me: Uh huh.
Mom: Gabriel wants two boys. I tell him I have the recipes for mak­ing girls, and mak­ing boys. He wants to know! So, I told him that I will have to charge him for the recipes because they are top secret. He said that he will buy both, just in case the wife wants a girl.
Me: Oh, that’s nice of him.
Mom: Yes. I also said that if the girl turns out like Eunice, I’ll give him a refund. (Then she breaks out into hys­ter­ics.)
Me: Thanks, Mom.

Me and Mom


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