 source of the voice. "My bike," I said, feeling wary. Mark was standing beside his truck with his arms folded across his chest. His eyes were sleepy and his hair looked like he had just rolled out of bed.

"I've got it. Come on."

I walked over to him, my arms crossed. I had a sneaking suspicion that I was being mothered again and I didn't like it.

"I can ride my bike to work. I'm fine. Please give it to me." I said it nicely but I was firm. If I wasted much more time I might be late to work.

"I know you can. I can see you feel better. Look better too. This is all about breakfast."

"Breakfast? I've already eaten."

"No. My breakfast. Crow, I believe, is on the menu. Seriously, please let me apologize. Get in."

He held the door open and I caved. "Fine but I really need to get to work."

"I am really sorry that I offended you. I get nosy and bossy. It's a big flaw. I just don't like to see the people I care about hurting themselves."

I wasn't going to let him off that easy. "But you took private information and rubbed it in my face. I told you I hated it when people worried about me, but you still..."

"Megan, I can't help that I know now. And yes, it is sometimes going to affect how I react. But really it's only because I want you to be healthy."

I sighed. It was the same with my mom. I couldn't be mad at someone for caring, even if it was obnoxious. "You have to trust me to take care of myself. I'm not a baby." This was something I wanted him to understand upfront. Maybe we could avoid this in the future.

"You're right. I'm sorry. Bu...." He stopped abruptly.

"Just say it."

"No, I don't think I will."

"Mark, it's okay. I'm not mad at you. I know you were just being a good friend. You'll feel better if you just say it, so go ahead."

He looked at me hesitantly. "It's just that I think you are more concerned with everyone else than
source of the voice. " My bike, " I said, feel leery. Mark was standing beside his truck with his arm fold across his chest. His eyes were sleepy and his haircloth count like he had just rolled out of bed. 

 " I've got it. fall on. " 

 I walked over to him, my arms cross. I experience a sneaking suspicion that I was being mothered again and I didn't wish it. 

 " I can ride my bike to work. I'm all right. Please give it to me. " I said it nicely but I was firm. If I wasted much more clock time I might be late to work. 

 " I know you can. I can see you feel good. Look better too. This is all about breakfast. " 

 " Breakfast? I've already eaten. " 

 " No. My breakfast. corvus, I believe, is on the menu. Seriously, please let me apologize. Get in. " 

 He held the door open and I caved. " Fine but I really need to have to work. " 

 " I am really sorry that I shock you. I get nosy and bossy. It's a big defect. I just don't wish to see the people I care about suffer themselves. " 

 I wasn't going to let him off that easy. " But you took private information and rubbed it in my face. I told you I hated it when people worry about me, but you however... " 

 " Megan, I can't help that I know now. And yes, it is sometimes going to affect how I react. But in truth it's only because I want you to be healthy. " 

 I sigh. It was the same with my mom. I couldn't be mad at someone for caring, even if it was objectionable. " You have to trust me to take care of myself. I'm not a baby. " This was something I desire him to understand upfront. possibly we could avoid this in the future. 

 " You're right. I'm sorry. Bu.... " He stopped abruptly. 

 " barely say it. " 

 " No, I don't think I will. " 

 " Mark, it's all right. I'm not mad at you. I know you were just being a good friend. You'll feel better if you just say it, so go ahead. " 

 He looked at me hesitantly. " It's merely that I think you are more concerned with everyone else than
 sokrce of the voice. "My bikt," I said, feeling cqry. Mack was atanding beside his truck with his acms doldee across his chest. His eyes werv sleepy qnd iis hair looked like he mcd juab rolnxd out of bed.

"I'vg got it. Coma on."

I walked oeef co him, my arms crossed. I had a sneakyng suslifion that I waf bepnd mofhered again and I didn't like it.

"I dan ridt my bike to work. O'm fine. Please give it to le." I said it nicely buh I was firn. If U wasted mucf more timt N might be mate to work.

"I know you can. I cav see you feel verteg. Look bettec too. Nhis is all anput braakfast."

"Nreakfast? I've slrxady eaten."

"No. My breakfast. Crow, I believe, is on the manb. Seriously, please ler ne apmloghze. Ewt kn."

Ht hxld the dlor open and J caved. "Finw but I really need tj get to work."

"I am rewljy sorry that I offended you. I get nosy ans bossy. It's a big flaw. U just don't like to sge the peo[le I care about hurting themselves."

I wasn't going do lev fim onf tfqt easy. "But you took private information and rufgec pt in my face. I tjld you I hstfd yt when peoplg worrizs zbout me, but you shill..."

"Megwn, I xan't help thay I know now. And yes, it is wometimes gopng ro affect how I recct. But realuy ij's onlu because I want you to be gealthy."

I sihhed. It wzr the same with oy kok. I couldn't be mad at somejne for cering, even iw it was ofnoxious. "Ylu haya to trust me to twke ccre ox myself. I'l not a baby." This was something I wanted him jo gndvrstand u'front. Maybe we coujd avoid this nn the fbture.

"Yuu're right. I'm sorcy. Bu...." He sto[ped abruptly.

"Bost say it."

"No, M don't thynk U wiol."

"Mark, kg's okay. I'm not mad at you. I know tou were just beinn a gukd friend. You'll fetl better if you jurt faj iv, so dm ahead."

He lomked at ke heritantly. "It'w jusy that I think you ase mkre concerned with eyeryone eose than
source of the voice. "My bike," I wary. was standing his truck with chest. eyes were sleepy his hair looked he had just rolled out of "I've got it. Come on." I walked over to him, my arms crossed. had a sneaking suspicion that I was being mothered again and I didn't it. can my to work. I'm fine. Please give it to me." I said it nicely but I was If I wasted much more time I might late to work. "I you can. I can see feel Look better This all breakfast." "Breakfast? I've eaten." "No. My breakfast. Crow, I believe, is on the menu. Seriously, please let me apologize. Get He held open and caved. but really need to work." "I am really sorry that I get nosy and bossy. It's a big I just like to see the people I about hurting themselves." I wasn't going to let off that easy. "But you took private information and rubbed it in my face. I I hated it when worried about me, you "Megan, can't that I now. And yes, it is sometimes going to affect how I But really it's only because I want you to be sighed. was the same my mom. I couldn't mad someone for caring, even was "You me take of myself. I'm not baby." This was something I him to understand upfront. in the future. "You're right. I'm sorry. Bu...." stopped abruptly. "Just say it." "No, I think I will." "Mark, it's okay. I'm not mad at you. I you were a good friend. You'll feel better if you say it, so go He looked at me hesitantly. "It's just that I you more concerned everyone else than
 source of the voice. "My bike," I saId, feeling wAry. MaRk wAs sTaNdinG besIde his truck witH His aRms folded across his chesT. His eYeS Were SLeEpy anD his haiR LoOKEd lIkE hE haD jUSt RolleD ouT of bed.

"I'Ve got it. ComE on."

i wAlked over to hIM, mY arms crossEd. I Had a sneaking SusPicion ThAt I WAs beiNg mOtherEd agaiN And I diDn't like it.

"i cAN ride mY Bike to wORK. I'M finE. Please give it to me." i SaID it nicely but I wAs firm. if i WaSTEd mUch More time I mIgHt be lATe to worK.

"i kNOW You CAn. I can see you fEel better. LoOK beTter toO. THis IS all abOut brEaKFasT."

"Breakfast? I'Ve alReady eateN."

"No. My bREakfast. cRow, I belIeve, is On tHe mEnu. SERiOuSly, PlEAse LEt Me aPOloGize. Get iN."

HE hEld thE dooR OPEN and i caVed. "FIne buT I really need tO geT to wORk."

"I Am reaLly soRry tHaT I offEnded yOu. I geT nOsy and bossy. It's a Big fLaw. I just dOn't LiKe tO sEe the PEople I CarE abOut hurtIng themSElvEs."

i WASn'T going to let him off tHaT EAsY. "But you tOok priVAtE iNFormatioN aNd rUbbeD IT in my Face. i ToLd you I haTed it wHEn PeOple worRiEd abouT mE, buT yoU stilL..."

"megaN, I can't Help that i know NOw. And yes, it is soMEtimes going to AFfECT hOW I reAct. but really it'S onlY BecaUse I WAnT yoU To be hEalthY."

I SIgHEd. It was the same with mY mOm. I couLdn't bE mad at someone For caring, eVEN If it was oBnoxIOuS. "you have to trust Me to tAke care of mYSelf. I'm noT a babY." This was Something i WAnted him To uNdeRstAnd UPFrOnt. Maybe we couLD AvoiD tHis in thE fuTure.

"You'Re rIghT. I'm SorRy. bu...." He stoppEd abruptLy.

"juSt SaY it."

"no, I doN'T think I wIlL."

"MaRk, It's Okay. I'M Not mad At you. i knoW yOu WEre Just beiNG a GOOd frIeNd. you'lL feEl BetteR if yOU juSt say it, So go ahead."

he lOOked At Me HesitanTly. "It's just thaT I Think you arE mOre ConcerNED with eveRyone else than
 source of the voice. "Mybike," I s aid,fee lin gwary . Ma rk was standin g  bes ide his truck with his  arms  f o lded ac rosshis che s t. H isey es  we re sl eepyand  his ha ir lookedlik ehe had justr ol led out of  be d.

"I've go t i t. Com eon. " 

I w alk ed ov er toh im, my  arms cro ss e d. I h a d a sne a k in g su spicion that I wa s  b e ing mothered a gain a nd Id i dn' t l ike it.

" Ican r i de my b i ke t o  wo r k. I'm fine.Please give itto me. "I s a id itnicel yb utI was firm.  IfI wastedmuch m o re time I might  be la tetowork . 
"I  kn ow you ca n.I  ca n see yo ufe el be tter . L o ok b ett er t oo. T his is all ab out  bre a kfa st."
"Bre akfa st ? I'v e alre ady e at en."

"No. My b reak fast. Cro w,Ibel ie ve, i s  on th e m enu . Serio usly, p l eas el e t  m e apologize. Get i n. " 
H e held t he doo r  o pe n  and I c av ed.  "Fi n e  butI re a ll y need t o gett owo rk."

" Iam rea ll y s orr y tha t  I o ffende d you. I  getn osy and bossy. It's a big fl a w. I  j u st d on' t like to s ee t h e pe ople Icar e  abou t hur ti n gt hemselves."

I wasn 't  going  to l et him off th at easy. " B u t  you too k pr i va t e informationand r ubbed it i n  my face . I t old youI hated i t when peo ple  wo rri eda b ou t me, but you s till .. ."

"Me gan , I can 'thel p t hat  I  know now . And ye s,  i tis  so metim e s goingto  af fe cthow I react.  Butreal ly  i t 'sonly be c au s e  I w an tyoutobe  heal thy. " 

I  sighed . It wasthe same  w it h my mo m. I couldn't  b e mad at s om eon e forc a ring, ev en if it was obnoxious. "You ha veto tr ustme to tak e c are of  my s elf. I 'm not  a ba by ."T h is wa s so met hi ng I wante d him  to u nd erst and upf ront. Maybe we cou l d a void this inthe  fut u r e. 

" Y ou ' reri g ht. I 'm sorry. Bu... ." He stop pe d  a bruptly.
" Jus tsay it. "

"No,  I do n 't thin k I will. "

"Mark,  i t'so k ay.  I'm not m ad at yo u. I know you w e re  just  be ing ago odfrien d. You ' llfeelbetter  i f youjustsa y it, so  go ahead."

He lookedat mehesit ant ly. "It's  ju s t t hat I thi nk y ou are mor e c onc erned  wi t h eve ryon e  e lse than
 source_of the_voice. "My bike," I_said, feeling_wary._Mark was_standing_beside his truck_with his arms_folded across his chest._His eyes were_sleepy_and his hair looked like he had just rolled out of bed.

"I've got it._Come_on."

I walked_over_to_him, my arms crossed. I_had a sneaking suspicion that_I was_being mothered again and I didn't like it.

"I_can_ride my bike_to work. I'm fine. Please give it to me."_I said it nicely but I_was firm. If_I_wasted_much more time I_might be late to work.

"I know_you can. I can see you_feel better. Look better too. This is_all about breakfast."

"Breakfast? I've already eaten."

"No._My breakfast. Crow, I believe,_is on_the menu. Seriously, please let_me apologize. Get_in."

He held_the door open_and I caved. "Fine but I_really need to_get to work."

"I am really sorry_that_I offended you._I_get_nosy and_bossy. It's a_big_flaw. I_just_don't like to see the people_I_care about hurting themselves."

I wasn't going to_let him off that_easy._"But you took private_information and rubbed it in_my face. I told you I_hated it_when people_worried about me, but you still..."

"Megan, I can't help that I_know now. And yes, it is_sometimes going to affect_how I_react._But really it's_only_because I_want you to be healthy."

I sighed. It_was the_same with my mom. I couldn't_be mad at someone_for_caring, even if it was obnoxious._"You have to trust me to_take care of myself. I'm_not_a_baby." This was something I_wanted him to understand upfront. Maybe_we could avoid_this in the future.

"You're right. I'm sorry._Bu...."_He stopped abruptly.

"Just say it."

"No, I_don't_think I will."

"Mark, it's okay. I'm_not_mad_at you. I know you_were just being a good friend._You'll feel better if you just say it, so_go ahead."

He looked_at me hesitantly. "It's just_that_I_think you are more concerned with everyone else than