Rebellious Thoughts of a Woman

I really hate being called sweetie, hon, baby or any other of familiar terms that should be exchanged between intimates only. But, I make one exception - I work part time as a jail house nurse. There is an inmate; a young male, intelligent though stupid (he's been arrested twice). On his second round I expressed my disappointment at seeing him back AND in the disciplinary unit. What I told him was he was too smart to make this his life. He said,"But nobody tells me that stuff on the street." So I explained that HE had to believe and embrace his own worth, but if he needed help, just listen to my voice in his head when he had a choice to make."
He left the unit and it was a month before I was in the same part of the jail. First thing he said was, "I haven't forgotten, I'm going to straighten up." And then he turned to the guy next to him and said,"This is my baby nurse."
In street parlance being a "baby" anything is a respectful term used to convey the elevation of the person it is bestowed upon.
On the street it means that this is a special person and they are not to be messed with.
I'm hoping when he has paid his dues and returned to society that he WILL change the path of his life. And then I will feel vindicated in believing that sometimes we can make a big difference with small gestures.

I've never really thought about this. I have been called "baby" and "babe" by former boyfriends but my husband does not.

Beyonce's going to be very upset at this, ha! I think I get the whole 'babe/baby' thing, for the same reason we say to babies "I could just eat you up!' They're so delectable. It is rather odd isn't it? That said, my hubby calls me 'bebee' at times, a variation I much prefer, reminds me of the store.

rockync, my references to the term baby and yours are quite different, or maybe my interpretation of them. I hope that your inspiration will be enough to get him motivated to stay out of jail.

Liz, the gross older man I remember was playing with his you-know-what in his car and he just called me over for directions. Horrible how people can ruin a word for us.

My exhusband didn't do terms of endearment, maybe that was a sign. Now I want that, as a sign of affection and endearment.

No specific song. But if I hear "baby" being screeched or moaned in a song, I click to the next station.

Lori, mrex's first and only term of "endearment" for me was "hetzi tolaat." It sounds cuter in Hebrew, but the meaning, the meaning should have made me run: "half a worm." What was I thinking?

JC, I call my younger daughter sweetie. If I accidentally call my older daughter that, I get a look, as if I called her baby.

Luci, I think I can deal with Beyonce. Anything with a French accent gets a pass, just don't translate, go with the sentiment.

D'Arcy, some guys refer to women as "gals," as in "any of you gals want to hang out." Uh, no. Maybe that's a regional thing; it just doesn't translate into New Yorkese. Us, ladies, we'll catch you later, when you finish LOLing yourself.

Gwen, oh no! with the Hebrew nickname. Is it some twisted Israeli thing that saying something bad is conversely something good? Any way, mamicita is cute, definitely not the whole mommy thing. Men. Can't they just go for something sweet and not role-modely?