Curls
As a young child - 5 or 6, as I recall - one time, I was accompanying my mother to the supermarket. It was terribly exciting being around all those brightly colored packages, and even more so being able to select some for purchase if I was well-behaved. I suppose I must have been taken to the supermarket in similiar fashion many times, but this is the only incident I can recall.
We were in the checkout aisle. My mother was conversing with someone I didn't know - in retrospect, it could have been one of her patients - and, radiant little toddler as I was, I eventually became the focus of this stranger's attention. She said something to the effect of, "My, any woman would love to have those delightful curls," and she ruffled my hair.
I was horrified.
Did she think I was a little girl or something? What sort of compliment was that supposed to be? In my mind, I wanted to ask just what was she suggesting, but, being what I was, I think I did something like blushed and hid behind my mother's thigh, scowling.