the kid in the movie softie looked a lot like me. i keep thinking about it the next day. i felt for that kid last night and i was knocked off balance, or i was already, and i spilled the cats water, but nothing broke. i pushed it aside in my mind in the movie so i could see the kid for himself, but i still saw my ghost in him with him. the real french title is petite nature, meaning little nature, faint of heart, weakling, girl, delicate. but the kid was strong. people called me a girl all the time, and i said fuck off and grew my hair longer until it was the longest in school.