How Quickly They Turn

Growing up, my wife was constantly told she resembled Lucy Liu.  Mainly because both she and Lucy are asian.  Hey, we grew up in the midwest, it doesn't take much.  Anyway, she grew to resent this statement, partly because Lucy is Taiwanese and my wife is half-Japanese, but mainly because she felt she didn't look much like her, other than they were both of asian descent.  And women.  And had hair.  Okay, they're obviously identical. 


I know what you're saying, poor girl, right?  First of all, your sarcasm is noted and appreciated.  And for me it is hard to muster too much sympathy when I was just told I resembled that fat kid from that show.  You know... Fat Albert.  But less attractive.  And white.  And less attractive.  And not funny.  And also less attractive.  I would have loved to be told I resembled anyone who wasn't a morbidly obese cartoon.  Like, say, Wilford Brimley.  Oh, to dream!  


Anyway, I've learned to tiptoe around her sensitivity.  Mainly by pointing out every mildly asian woman on television and saying "Look honey, it's you!"  Or, if it is a man, "Look honey, it's your brother!"  Yes, I assume my husband of the year award is in the mail.  Needless to say my wife is less than entertained by my shenanigans.  However, yesterday, while waiting in the checkout line in the grocery, our darling daughter pointed to the cover of a magazine featuring, you guessed it, Lucy Liu, and said "Mama."  Awesome!  Well, now we know who's sense of humor she inherited.  Though I hope she grows up to look more like Lucy than Albert.  Although some sort of Fat Lucy Albert Liu mashup could be kind of awesome, right?