Then, on Friday, she came home with a troubled expression.
“Mom, I need to tell you something.”
I put down the laundry.
“I’m listening.”
“Tyler has a skin condition.”
I waited for her to continue.
“He has red patches on his arms. I saw them in gym class when he took off his sweatshirt. He told me it’s eczema.”
I nodded. Eczema can cause irritated, itchy patches of skin, and its appearance can vary from person to person.
“Apparently, some boys on his team have been making fun of him since last year,” Emma continued. “They call his arms disgusting. They stare at him when he changes after practice. Sometimes they ask him whether he’s contagious.”
My heart sank.
“He wears long sleeves because he doesn’t want anyone to look at him.”
Emma sat down across from me.
“Mom, he knows what it feels like.”
I understood what she meant before she finished the sentence.
