How am I doing, Dad?

When I was toddler, dad often took me to Wild Wild Kidz. It wasn’t call that at all. My dad called it that because children went wild in there. It was one of those big-ish indoor playing places where children can play, jump, climb, slide and go berserk the whole day. They are many of them now, usually in shopping malls.

Mothers would turned up, early in the morning by the elevator-loads with their kids; pay entrance fees, help with the socks, buy French fries, sausages and drink, kiss kiss hug hug and then leave their kids there for the whole day while they attend to more important things (shopping and getting their hair or faces done)..he he.

Dad has never left me there and went off to get his face done. I was glad. I mean him not getting his face done....He he. He always stayed there as long as I did because he wanted to watch over me. Well, he doesn’t really watched watched. This was how he did it.

Once when we were there, dad told me that he will stop following me around. I at first thought it was probably too rough on his body to keep up with me....he he. He said that he will instead be at the cafe reading his magazines and that I was allowed to do whatever I wanted. Under two conditions; one, can’t do anything dangerous and two, can’t do anything that disturbs others. Dad said I was growing up and he wanted me to figure things out on my own. He gave me some examples and then kiss kiss hug hug.

So, off I went to play, repeating to myself what dad had just said ......can’t do dangerous things, can’t disturb others, can’t do dangerous, no disturb others, no dangerous things, no disturbing, no dangerous things to others, no disturb things.... no? no?........danger....

I was really glad with dad’s rules. I did whatever I wanted. I climbed to the top of the tower and slide down the cock-screw tube down to the bottom. It was great fun, while other children had their mothers shouting at them; don’t do this, don’t do that, do this, do that..aiyoh!. Whenever I achieved something that I have not done before, I would go all the way down to the cafe to report to him. Also to get some French fries and orange juice...he he.

Dad seemed to be reading all the time at the cafe; but he knew exactly where I was because each time I waved at him from somewhere, he always responded. So, I guessed he was kinda not watching over me, but kinda watching over me. Watching but not really watching....he he. I think you know what I mean.

On the way home that day, in the car, dad said that the rules will also apply for when I am at home and also when I am in school. I nodded off before I could.......

by small bright head