A couple of weeks ago at Weight Watchers, the topic was about putting ourselves first. Not because no one else matters, as my daughter interpreted it, but because, as women, we often put other people’s needs ahead of our own and therefore, the idea of taking time away from our homes to go to the gym often seems selfish.

Well, as part of the meeting, we all talked about all the other people we have to care for. Everyone said, “kids, husband, grandkids.” That kind of thing. After a while the leader asked us to mention something other than those three, if we had them.

People talked about volunteering at their church or caring for their parents or siblings with cancer.

When it got to be my turn, I told how that week my in-laws were on vacation and my daughter was supposed to be taking care of their cats, but she was worried about one of them who hadn’t come home the night before, so guess who was going over to their house to look for the cat after the meeting?

Then I mentioned our guinea pig and how I’m the only one in the family who can fee him and clean his cage because I’m the only one not allergic.

Today I went to the meeting and one of the women I’ve seen there many times, but never spoke to as she sits on a different side of the room than I usually do, stopped me and said she had to tell me something.

She reminded me of that previous meeting and said that when I spoke, she misunderstood me and thought I said that I took care of a “Gay Pig.”

She said she wondered, first, how did I even know he was gay and second, what special needs would a gay pig have? Did the other pigs make fun of him?