Waiting in Vain
I am, on occasion, secondary caregiver to my 9-year-old cousin. The redheaded spitfire, I love that sweet girl SO so much and lately she's taken to throwing her arms around me and telling me that I'm the best cousin ever. *sigh*I took care of her Thursday night while her parents were at a Christmas party. In the course of shuffling cars (I am sans l'auto, see previous entry) I dropped auntie off downtown so the kiddo and I went looking for food nearby. I talked her into my favorite Vietnamese place just south of downtown. Although the General Tso's chicken she ordered was too spicy for her, the bo luc lac was perfect as always so nobody went hungry. Leftovers rule.
The next day was only a halfday at school for her so auntie picked her up then picked me up and we dropped auntie off at another holiday lunch, leaving kiddo and I in search of lunch downtown again. What does she pick? Vietnamese. (I told you I love that child) This time it's her favorite noodle house on the east side, a funky little place with a distinctly hippie theme and pierced/tie-dyed waiters/waitresses serving the suits who venture out of the downtown sector. The kid is 9 and chopsticks are really tough for her own tiny hands (yes, we're blood-relatives), so I rolled up the chopstick wrapper and jammed it between the chopsticks while rubber-banding the blunt end together. It's a fairly common trick and you've probably seen it done if you've spent any time in an asian restaurant. The suits sitting at the next table apparently hadn't seen this trick and I could tell they were watching me and talking about it. The suits finished their lunch and as they got up to leave, one of them said to her "That's a cool trick your daddy learned with those chopsticks."
She didn't say anything to them but I just looked up and smiled. After they'd left she chuckled about it, quite amused that she'd been mistaken for my daughter. I couldn't stop my eyes from welling-up (as they're doing now) and although she didn't notice I could have easily blamed it on the spicy fish sauce.
In life I know that there is lots of grief,
But your love is my relief.
Tears in my eyes burn,
Tears in my eyes burn,
While I'm waitin',
While I'm waitin' for my turn.-Marley
posted by tinyhands @ 11:59 PM
14 Comments:
i do love lil kids... esp other people's because... at the end of the day... you can give them back... also... you can be friends with kids... when they are not your own!...
Your so gonna make the best daddy when your time comes.
no, it is not dangerous to confuse children with angels.
Boo: Yes, being able to escape them enables me to even love my sister's kids.
Bright-one: I think that ship has sailed, but thanks for believing in me.
ブレベン: I really do have love to give, I just don't know where to put it.
how can that ship have sailed? tony randall had kids at 70 and you're still young. i agree with zelda - you're gonna be the best daddy when it's your turn. i know you're tired of waiting, but you never know what is around the next corner. merry christmas, ft.
kim
Awwww. I know this feeling all to well as one of my nieces is my spitting image.
Here's a tissue.
you're not "waiting in vain"
promise.
you know how much i hate kids (the main reason we aren't married already) and even I got teary eyed with that entry.
oh, and the ship hasn't sailed...not even close.
Kim- I don't want to be 70 when I have kids. It's a lengthy explanation and some would argue that I'm too picky, but the window is definitely closing.
Sass- This little redhead could pass for yours too.
Mimi- 'Our Day Will Come'?
Tonia- I thought the reason we weren't already married was your live-in boyfriend.
Bo Luc Lac and Pho in the same post? You're killing me. I need to get something to eat now.
details, details...
Oh my god, someone mistook me for Brighton. My day has been made.
LMAO at Zelda! I felt proud to be in the same league!
Great story... am now a soggy spun out leaf!
Little spit fire... I LOVE that! Bet you would make a great daddy... ICE CREAM every day!
Smooch,
The Tart
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