A time once travelled

Just so he stops pestering me while I was doing household chores…

Me: Sweetheart, why don’t you go to your room and find some toys that you can give to cousin Seth (my nephew in the phils who is almost as the same age as him). You know, I think he does not have as many toy as you….

He rushed to his room, and I could hear drawers being opened, plastics and rubbers flying… squeaking, ringing, growling weird sounds gone off as batteries were on and simple touch is enough to blast out the lungs of these plastics.

Oh fucking bad idea, now I have more cleaning up to do…

Two minutes later he appeared at my side holding out a teeny-weeny thing.

Me: Oh, already found one? That was quick, so what is it that you are going to give to cousin Seth?

David, so proud and enthusiastic, holding out his hand: Here mama a really nice racing car!

I look at it with dismay.

Me: Really? Are you sure about that? It’s so tiny and the back wheels are broken!! I don’t think Seth will be happy to get that! You can’t give something that’s broken, it’s rude!

David: Si mama, I like this one, so he will like it too…

Me: Well, that’s not really very generous. You should give something a bit bigger and not broken. Besides, Christmas is coming soon and I’m sure there’s a little boy in this house who will get plenty of presents from Santa… you should give some to your cousin in the
Philippines.

David, now very engaging and serious: You know mama, there’s no Santa Claus in the Philippines…

Me completely kicked off in the butt: What!!! What makes you say that?!

David, shrugging off his shoulder the French way: It’s like that. There’s no papa noel there!

Me: So where do you think Santa is?

David, tips his head on the side, eyes on the ceiling, thinking: Papa Noel? Ben, he lives in Frejus (his summer vacation place, plenty of toys o.c.), he lives in Paris, he lives in New York (where he gets really nice walking-growling dinosaurs that even I fell in love with), in Washington (more souvenir toys), in Martinique (where grandpa lives, so more toys) and London (again toys)…

Me, trying to suppress the humour: That’s quite discriminating David! Well, ok may be that’s true, but it’s not quite right… You know Santa can still go to the Philippines or any other places, not just the places you’ve been too…, you’ll see, when we arrive in the Philippines you will see one…

David: No mama, he can’t go there! It’s very far!

Me: Of course he can. He can take a big plane like you, papa and mama if Santa wants to…

David: Ah non c’est pas possible!!!

Me: And why is it not possible?

David: Because if he takes the airplane, he will scare off the people!!!