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With the exception of some aches and pains in my lower back, I am feeling MUCH better! Must have been the 4 aspirins and two Neo Citrans I had. Incidentally, the Neo Citrans should have knocked me out, but instead they woke me up. I didn't get to bed until 2:45. *************************************** I have eight nieces and nephews. One brother has 3 kids (#2, #3 and #5), one sister, JaniceParker, has two kids (#4 and #6), another brother has one kid, #7, and my other sister has two kids (#8 and #9). Who's #1, you ask? I am. The numbers denote the order in which family members were born in Canada. I was the first. (I had to be the first at something.) It's funny. Even nos. 2, 3, and 4 call me Uncle JonasParker, and they're 17, 16 and 15 respectively. I am the cool, young uncle. JaniceParker is going to be 43 next month, and #3's dad is 40. #8 and #9's mom is 32 by contrast. My brother, father of the singleton, turned 36 yesterday, and I turned 28 last month. The ages of nos 1-9 are: 28, 17, 16, 15, 14, 11, 7, 3 and 1. I have had a stronger bond with #4 than with any of the others. This has gone on pretty much his entire life. I spent two months of his first year of life with him where we bonded. When they moved to Kingston, we continued to bond there. They were visiting from Sudbury in 1993. #4 had become a bit of a handful by then; he was having problems. I was able to tell his parents exactly what the problem was, because I was going through the exact same problems when I was the exact same age. They applied my theories and the problem was solved. I wish I could remember what the issue was. It had something to do with not been listened to or acknowledged. Four years later in 1997...wait, I already told that story. But to add, he tried to monopolize my time as much as he could. It was great, actually. He's a great kid. They all are, really, but there's just something about him, though. He needed me then, and he needs me more now it seems. Again, four years later in 2001, I was at S's place after a fun night when I got a call from his father. His father's mother lives in Montreal, and they were en route to Boston from Hamilton, where they were living at the time. They wanted to meet us in Old Montreal, so S and I met them. It's odd that the only family member to meet S was the sister who I see every four years, but anyway, once again we bonded like no time had passed. By this time he was an inch taller than me at age 14. This past Monday (I may rewrite that entry with some more details, it was quite the evening), they spent the weekend at their Montreal grandmother's house and were leaving for Brockville that day. Extra-convenient, because I was leaving for the same place on the same date. They picked me up at work and we traveled the two hours to Brockapulco. It was great speaking to so many bright people about politics and social issues. Not that I couldn't do that with the rest of my family, but it was nice doing it with them as well, I guess. It was a great ride home. Every night #4 and I would stay up late watching Teletoon Unleashed (visit the Tattoo Parlour; those are the shows we watched), the adult version of Teletoon. And we would talk about his life. I think he really appreciated the different perspective I gave him on certain things. On the surface, I have a pretty different view of things than his parents do, but in reality, we aren't THAT different. For some reason, he respects what I say far more than his parents. Could be the cool young uncle angle. On Christmas night, his father and I went for a walk in the neighbourhood. He wanted to talk to me about two things: me and his son. He didn't know anything about my job, but he knew that I wasn't happy in it. We talked about what must be done for me to pursue my interests in a corporate setting. He talked about the fact that while in Brockville I had never been challenged at anything. Most parents who see their child pulling 90s out of thin air think that is great. No problem, they just do it. What they don't realize is that if it is that easy for them and everyone is praising them, that life should be that easy. Well, it isn't, and I have learned the hard way. Anyway, there's a whole lot more to that conversation than I can put in here. When we got the the subject of his son, I realized that he is exactly like me in a lot of ways, except one crucial way. He is shy. Other than that, though, we have the same weaknesses. I was charged with talking to him about some of these weaknesses, and figuring out why he is so unhappy in Massachusetts. Well, we had an illuminating conversation last night (in front of my grandfather, who was so engrossed in hockey that he heard nothing) that laid bare some of his issues. It's like they need a mediator or something. There's an obvious divide there. Who needs kids of their own when you have other people's kids to influence? I leave to return to Montreal today at 2:50 pm. Last night #4 told me three times how much it is going to suck when I am gone. He'll have no one to talk to or hang out with constantly. Well, he can always hang out with his cousins (nos 2, 3 and 5) or even his other cousins (#7 or nos 8 and 9. Of those three, he prefers #9). But it's just not the same. Well, it looks as though someone is looking up to me. I guess I have a little more motivation now, don't I? I might make it down to Mass. in March. I should find out when Crystal is going down next, after the the January trip. 0 scrawls at the end of this hallThe look: The feel: The taste: ________________________ |
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