Avalon

Innocence

Sunday, August 26, 2007

My nephew bounded towards me first thing when he saw me when we went to pay respects to my late grandmother at the temple. Emitting a loud cry of "小小舅", he held my hand and promptly lead me to a quiet corner where he exposed his hidden agenda for showing such enthusiasm on seeing me.

It turns out he is a great pokemon fan and wanted to talk about pokemon with me, (He's five only) after my mum graciously gave away all the pokemon toys and stickers I had in my possession back then in sec 1 and alerting him to the fact that he had an "uncle", (omg that sounds sooo old) albeit a young one, who presumably knows a whole lot about his numero uno interest.

So he tested me on whatever residual remnants of pokemon related knowledge I have. It's a surprise but having put all that behind me for years, I still could catch up on what he was saying. But then again, it's just so difficult to wave him off when his face is radiating with excitement as though he has finally found a "grown-up" who can understand his world. Haha... It just feels weird but enjoyable. Looking at him talking with such energy and eagerness, I can't help but smile.

When he thought he succeeded into tricking me with his antics, he will laugh uncontrollably with this playful and cunning twinkle in his eye. And as he was showing me his prized treasures: stacks of pokemon magnets and little discs, I realised it is not just a gesture of sharing something he likes with someone who he feels can appreciate it, but also a bridge of trust between a kid and a well, young grownup. It is the same connection I established with his mother, my cousin, back then when I was the kid, when she would bring me out, buy me toys, even after getting married. Some things just continues in a cycle.

Ya my nephews and two nieces are very cute, even though they do fight and scream at each other, run around abit hyperactively while playing catching and making everyone else worry about their safety. But even though I find it enjoyable playing with them and understanding their world, it remains a firm fact that I will never work in a childcare centre, or teach in a primary school (especially p1-2) because I think I will just die of exhaustion or helplessness, or both.

And on a side note, the little one was sitting beside me in my car on our way to my grandfather's when he pointed towards the passing trees outside the window and exclaimed, “你看那些树一直在跟踪我们。”

Envoy of the Stars @ 12:47 PM
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