Post by TarotDragon on Mar 25, 2008 20:19:02 GMT -5
The other day I was taking my little brother to the dentist. He had a lot of work to be done, so I was waiting in the lobby (who doesn’t hate that?) and watching the people pass through. For most the time it was like always, people either ignoring each other, sometimes giving nods of acknowledgement, you know the usual way strangers do. But there was this feeling that I was waiting for something as I sat there, looking up each time some one walked in the door. I’ve felt it before, but nothing has happened. But this time a little family walked in. It was just a dad and his two kids, a little boy and a little girl. I was about to go back to my magazine when I saw the little boy (his name was Andy I think) pick up a magazine and settle on the couch. His little sister (Ally?) hopped up beside him, real close, and I was expecting him to act like most boys I’d seen do, to scoot away or make long suffering faces. But he didn’t. He leaned in, showing her the magazine and both began to chatter quietly about some cool gadget. They talked softly so as not to disturb anyone you could tell, but it was interjected with “cool!” and “look at that!”. Watching them (and trying not to seem like some creepy baby snatcher) you could just see and feel this incredibly sweet and close bond. I guess what moved me was the way the brother treated his little sister. You could feel the tenderness and caring in the way he talked to her, that loving big brother feel. And you could just feel the bond, something close and rare, and you could feel it was so unbreakable. Like so many siblings split, one going off with their family and the other going in the other direction, meeting up for Christmas and Thanksgiving maybe. But these two… it felt like that closeness would last forever. That maybe they might not be near each other all the time, but what they had would never in any way dissipate. And it was so beautiful, so touching to see that sort of love, connection.
What made it stand out even more in my mind was the father. He was sitting on a chair next to them, National Geographic in hand, lost in an article. His kids would call his attention to what they were reading and he’d make the typical “mmm-hmm” and “yeah” without ever looking up and the kids would go back to their stuff. And I had such of thought of “dude, what are you doing? Stop and look at what you have. Its rare and precious and don’t you understand? You have to know that and value it and never ever stop paying attention to it. Please, just look at them.” But he didn’t and I felt such a well of sadness, feeling hollow almost. Sadness that he was missing what this world seems to be in such a short supply of.
But another thought occurred to me. Maybe this was just their bond. He felt loving enough. Maybe this is just the way they act. Some one must be doing something right because those kids have something special. Could they be that way if the parents were as indifferent as I thought?
I don’t know what it was all about, but after they got up and left that feeling of expectation was gone, like I’d seen what I’d come to see. I’m not sure what to deduce from it or if I’ve even expressed it clearly. But it seemed special to me. I don’t know. Guess I thought I’d share.
PS: If this doesn't go here, mod, I'm sorry! Didn't know where else to go.
What made it stand out even more in my mind was the father. He was sitting on a chair next to them, National Geographic in hand, lost in an article. His kids would call his attention to what they were reading and he’d make the typical “mmm-hmm” and “yeah” without ever looking up and the kids would go back to their stuff. And I had such of thought of “dude, what are you doing? Stop and look at what you have. Its rare and precious and don’t you understand? You have to know that and value it and never ever stop paying attention to it. Please, just look at them.” But he didn’t and I felt such a well of sadness, feeling hollow almost. Sadness that he was missing what this world seems to be in such a short supply of.
But another thought occurred to me. Maybe this was just their bond. He felt loving enough. Maybe this is just the way they act. Some one must be doing something right because those kids have something special. Could they be that way if the parents were as indifferent as I thought?
I don’t know what it was all about, but after they got up and left that feeling of expectation was gone, like I’d seen what I’d come to see. I’m not sure what to deduce from it or if I’ve even expressed it clearly. But it seemed special to me. I don’t know. Guess I thought I’d share.
PS: If this doesn't go here, mod, I'm sorry! Didn't know where else to go.
