Why do the women have to grind the corn?

Today I spent the day with one of my oldest friends. We figured out that we have known each other for about 23 years now -- since 6th grade where we first bonded in feminism in Mr. Corica's Social Studies class. We both got in trouble for demanding to know why only the Mexican women grind the corn and never the men. Apparently Mr. Corica did not have a sufficient answer for us and we were likely relentless about it. I can't remember what that note home said, but I think it was something about us being disruptive in class. Talk about inhibiting young minds! Poor Mr. Corica. He was probably very glad to get us out of his class.

It's funny to think that this friend has known me through so much from a mutual love of Garfield to losing our virginity to college to marriage and now parenthood. She is about to become a mommy for the first time very soon so we will share that too. We both have changed so much over the years and yet in my minds eye she is the same in looks and everything else.