On a good day online, you make a good friend. Pascal, from France, is one.

“Meeting” at the Black Panther Message Board at least three years ago, we have swapped comic trade paperbacks across the Atlantic. I have a complete set of Christopher J. Priest’s take on the Marvel Comics superhero the Black Panther (sans the Kasper Cole storyline ) in French trade paperbacks, thanks to him. They are my prize possessions.

Anyway, he emailed me earlier today (sending me a .jpeg of his wedding picture from last year; I like that they both have glasses 🙂 ) to tell me that he and his wife are expecting a new comic geek to come forth. The end of January, he says.

At least a couple of the couples I know are well on the way of poppin’ ’em out.  🙂   Adina’s little girl, her first, is due this December—I believe around the time my friend Jared’s wife Yari is expecting, their second.

Now, my friend Val….well, I lost count of the amount. 🙂 I think three.

So here’s my tribute to all the young meres (and peres) I know, courtesy of one of my all-time favorite artists, Basia:

*****

she’s gonna be a perfect mother,
perfect mother
in her mind there’s no doubt
though no one could show her how to be
a perfect mother, perfect mother
people say–she’s too young
should a child have a child?

hers is gonna be a perfect baby
raised according to the old prescription:
cuddle it daily and smother with kisses
’cause there’s nothing more important
just make sure that she never misses

a perfect mother, perfect mother
people say–she’s too young
no one could ever show her how

babies grow, then they tend to leave us
that’s how it’s always been and always will be
deep down inside you never stop wishing
for the hope to be certain that your
boy or girl
will be forever needing you

hers is gonna be a perfect baby
raised according to the old prescription:
cuddle it daily and smother with kisses
’cause there’s nothing more important…
who knows better–
all her life she missed her