I just brought a few gifts this trip.
Mom, Sis, Brother, and only a few for the little ones.
But, the funny thing is that the kids, even though I only brought a few toy cars and trucks, they were all over me.
The 2nd day, if I grabbed a seat at the family yard,
they were on me.
I am a big kid at heart and the little kids recognize it.
I had one 3 year old on my back, one between my legs and the other little girl in my arms.
Sure, all kids love toys, but giving them attention, they will stick to you like glue.
My favorite little girl just starts running like she has a motor in her legs, nothing i can do to stop her.
She will run into the front, back and side of me.
Whether I see her coming or not.
"Shenique, leave Mark alone!" Grandma would yell.
He came here to relax!
That will last a full 2 minutes.
The little boys, talking in patois all about this and that,
"tell us a story! Where did you get those little cars.
Then they have their own stories of adventures, things that happened to them at school.
The little boys, whom it seems don't have much of a big brother/father type figure around, constantly followed me, jumped on me, ask me a million questions.
Same thing here in the states.
You meet a girl and wham, instant family with kids.
I would be sitting down and then.....zooom!
Here he is between my knees, just standing there, he will turn his back to me, lean into me and start talking.
Kind of nice giving a little hug, just squeeze them and they love it.
I do kind of instigate the little guys into conversation.
Funny, I have 1 daughter, always wanted a son, and somehow the boys know it.
Mark, mark, mark, that's all I heard every time i go to mi family yard.
After school, on the weekends, it doesn't matter to them.
Rubbing the tops of their heads starts it off.
Then they fight (not really fight) over my attention.
Get off of mark! Let him loose.
I wrestled for about 2 hours on Saturday.
I told one boy, like 6 months ago what I would bring him.
Good thing I remembered, because he sure did.
I only bring a few toys at a time, so easy for rough little boys to mash up a cheap toy or even an expensive toy, so I keep it cheap, but I bring loads of them.
Every 2 days I'll stop by with a black plastic bag.
I'll sit and watch the anticipation develop in their eyes.
"what's in the bag?
Who that for?
Like a volcano that will soon erupt.
Here you go little fella.
I have to sneak away to use the bathroom, just when I'm almost finished I hear Mark, Mark, where are you?
It's a rough job, but I think I was made for it.
I do have alot of fun picking them up, swinging them around, tossing them up in the air and catching them.
"Do it again, more!"
and the laughs, such cool little laughs they have.
Bless their little hearts.
One day I must really bring the T-shirts that read
"Markospoon's Ecology Cadets"
Then we will really go on missions around the island.
Until then, toys and games and smiles and a whole lot of laughing.
It's a great way to kill an afternoon, luckily my mom in law owns the shop that sells everything a guy could want.
So, i always try to hang on to my silver for the little guys and girls.