First and foremost, I want to say that I think Moms have a helluva job.  Working moms, you ESPECIALLY have my respect.  But something last night REALLY hit home with me, and I’ve had the kind of day that just drove the nail in the coffin.

It SUCKS being a unmarried woman in this business.

I watched "Desperate Housewives" last night, which I haven’t done in almost a year now, and apparently, Lynette has gone back to work and her husband is home with the kids.  Lynette, at a time critical to her company, needed to take a morning off to accompany her child to his first day of school.  Her boss said no.  She said, "Well, I need a balance of home and work," tapping her foot, "I need to make sure to keep that balance."

And, coming off as a totally heartless bitch, her boss said no.  She said, "No, you may not.  You may not because the childless women consistently do NOT receive any balance, so why should you be more fortunate?  Why should you be treated differently?"

And I agree.

Now, let me say this: Lynette’s situation was different.  If she had been a single working mom, I could see letting her come in late that morning.  But considering that her stay-at-home husband was fully prepared to take the child, I have to back the boss. 

I can’t count the weekends that I’ve been tapped to work because all of the other girls "have family plans."  And I’m the assistant that they ask to stay overtime, since I have no children to pick up or even a husband to go home to.  And FORGET me taking off the day before Christmas Break or Thanksgiving.. all of the other ladies have families. 
Someone’s got to stay, Sarah.

It is NOT easy being the single gal in the defense industry.  Every engineer with a twinge of testosterone can smell the empty ring finger a mile away, and you must always find a way to coyly yet unmistakeably back out of every dinner invite, every lingering glance, and every "not so much for business" phone call.  You have to deal with the stares, with the out-of-the-side-of-the-mouth comments each time you’re praised/promoted/mentioned as to how you may’ve
earned that recognition, and when you’re my age, most of these men leering could be your father.  Or older.

This is not to say that I think working moms should be held to my standard.  I know that I have flexibility mothers do not posses.  But don’t assume that, just because I’ve borne no children, or just because I have no husband to attend to later, that I am available 24/7.  And please don’t speak of me as if I’m any less qualified because I have no children.  And, above all else, when you see pictures of the Boy and HapHook up on my cube and I tell you that you’re not my children, do NOT look at me pityingly, as if I’ve not really reached my potential yet.

I like Lynette on DH.  Truly.  She’s my kinda gal.  But for the first time, and it may be the only time, I had to agree with her enemy.