by
Susan Palmes-Dennis
IT'S
been several months that I've posted something about my five-year-old
ward/friend Zayne Mojica and for followers of my Nanny Stories blog,
I duly apologize because of the many personal events that I've had to
deal with.
Rest
assured I still have so many nanny stories to tell and share. I
haven't seen Zayne for a month now. For those who haven't read, Zayne
is my five-year-old ward at Charlotte, North Carolina and I met him
ever since I first set foot in this place.
I’ve
been with him when his first tooth came out and when he took his
first step. I've seen his first year of existence in this planet so I
guess you can imagine the joy I've felt in seeing him recently.
I
haven't visited him since Ronnie had surgery last July 28 and I got
holed up in home taking care of him so I was unable to visit Zayne.
My surprise then when Zayne visited me with his dad and his aunt
Maddy.
Zayne
brought with him his new toys, “a shark and escovibido.” I asked
him the name of the shark and he told me it was “shakie.” Shakie
is colored white on the body and had funny teeth.
“Nanay
(mother) look I have something for you,” Zayne said. I know that he
meant the toys and he showed them to me. He then gave me a big hug
and I choked back tears because I don't want him to see me crying.
Then
while the others were talking we distanced ourselves and talked.
I
asked him how he is doing and he said “I am pretty good.” I
asked him what he's doing aside from playing and school and he said
“exercising.”
I
nearly laughed at what he said but then I remembered that his daddy
has this tread mill. It is wide and huge and I think he can use it
safely with an adult close by for supervision.
Knowing
Zayne I know he literally meant it. I remembered before he used to
do it and he can even lift things. Then we went to the bedroom and
our conversation took place.
Zayne:
Why are you not visiting me Nanay?
Me: I
don’t have someone to drive me to your place?
Zayne:
Why?
Me:
Papaw not driving
Zayne:
Why Papaw not driving?
Me: He
had surgery remember?
Zayne:
But daddy can drive you over to the house?
Me:
And Papaw would be alone here I could not leave him.
Zayne:
We can bring Papaw to the house Nanay.
End of
conversation.
Lesson
learned: Don’t play with the feelings of a child .A five-year-old
can remember a previous conversation. I remembered that I told him
“okay baby I am not leaving you I would be back.”
You
see a nanny has way more responsibility than a babysitter. Especially
with a boy like Zayne whom you would learn to love as your own.
(Susan
Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City,
Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who works as a
nanny in North Carolina. This page will serve as a venue for news and
discussion on Filipino communities in the Carolinas.
Read
her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at
http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles
also appear at
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You
can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)
