You know, you might not want me as a friend.

Gave an old friend a lift up the hill from school this morning. Because you know, it is a very tall hill and school is at the bottom and slowly I am convincing her to be as lazy as me.

We sat outside her house chatting for a few minutes when she said something along the lines of "Oh it is awful, 'BabySpeak' has turned into a terrible tomboy just now. I am forever having to say to her - stop shouting in the house, move gently, oh do try and be just a little bit feminine."

When I had gathered my wits back from the deep recesses of my mind where they had fled in simple self-protection I turned and looked at her with, what I hoped was, a compassionate face. I say hoped but have a sneaking suspicion it was absolute shock.

The words "She is completely feminine." came from my mouth, which is quite good as my brain was thinking 'Why are you fucking with this SIX yo child's sense of self and exploration of her personality?'. Since she was captive next to me in the (very) confined spaces of Maria I gave a her a little lecture all the while trying not to sound too emphatic.

I recognise there may have been an element of projection on my part.

I was always that kid who was too loud. When I got to the single sex school (age eight) I was the one who spent years being told to sit with my knees together (in my defence we wore trousers) and behave in a more gentle manner - and this was by the other girls! Always being told to be more helpful by our 'sainted' nuns. I was the girl who would stand out the front and disagree with someone, even in primary school. Given the option I wore shorts and jeans rather than skirts and dresses, in fact sometimes even not given the option I did it anyway. I had short hair, my nails were ragged (and still are) and clothes are not and never really have been a driver in my life.

I guess the moral here is - if you ping my sensitive spots I will bite. So if you still want to go ahead and apply for friendship status you have been warned!