do I need a nose ring?

Yesterday John and I attended E's art show--the display of her summer art workshop. As we were thoroughly enjoying all of the projects that she showed us, her teacher came by to introduce herself. She zeroed in on me first, and asked if I was E's mother. John, who had been standing next to me but was facing away from the teacher, turned around, reached out his hand, and identified himself as E's father.

The art teacher sort of recoiled for a moment, then replied.

"No, you're not...you really couldn't be her father?"

Then the art teacher looked back at me again and sized the two of us up from head to toe.

"Are you sure?"

John was sort of baffled by her insistence that he couldn't possibly be E's father. This, despite the fact that E resembles John so much that there can't possibly be any mystery about her parentage.

When we talked about it later he expressed his annoyance at the teacher. I told him he needs to come up with a snappy rejoinder for such situations (this happens quite often). Me, I need to come up with a comeback, too. I'm starting to get pegged as John's *Mom*, and I don't quite know how to deal with it. John suggested that a few strategically-placed body piercings would make me look young enough to belong to him. Unfortunately, I hated getting my ears pierced and can't really fathom a ring through my nose or brow. Ditto for tattoes (ouch).

So, dear readers, help me here. What can I do?