Monday, June 18, 2007

Bil Gymnastiiiique....

Ok this story is a little old but I have to share it with you. It was last Saturday and it’s about my little brother (he’s 7). Now as most of you already know, my parents work almost all the time and my elder brother also works and doesn’t even live with us, he comes on weekends only; which leaves me with my little brother most of the time, especially now that his school is over.

Now on the last day of school my brother had, instead of the regular sports class, a gymnastique class. And he literally LOVED it. He’d go on and on about how super cool it was, how his teacher Mr. Fouad (yes like our prime minister) was super cool, how he could stand on his hands and WALK O_o!! The kid was hypnotized I say, Gymnastique was all he could think of… All day long, and out of no where he would start:

Bil Gymnastiiiique, there is a trampoline, I climbed over it and I jumped.
Bil Gymnastiiiique, I can grow my muscles.
Bil Gymnastiiiique, we can learn how to do all sort of stuff.
Bil Gymnastiiiique, Mr Fouad can stand on his hands and he can WALK on his hands!!
Bil Gymnastiiiique, Mr Fouad said that we can come every Saturday from 10 to 12 and train.
Bil Gymnastiiiique, Mr Fouad said he’d be waiting for us.
Bil Gymnastiiiique, Mr Fouad said that we will only have to pay 5000L.L.
(that’s around 3$ 60 cents, in fact my mom asked in the gym and they said the 5000LL was for one week session if he wants to register for a whole month it’d be 20 000LL or 13$ 60cents)and this time only to register!
I want to go this Saturday and every Saturday for EVER!


Now personally I was 100% with the idea, the kid has poor social skills and he spends way too much time watching TV without moving a muscle, our bad financial situation is an obstacle to most outdoor activities. This gymnastic class will certainly help him move his muscle, release all his energy and hopefully socialize better. Now in her extremely prudent manor, my mom answered him by saying: “We’ll see”. Now this “We’ll see” is a family tradition. It means…. Well it means: “We’ll see”. I didn’t think she’d refuse but on Friday evening my brother was starting with his : Bil Gymnastique… poem and my mom’s answer was:

NO

Shit! What the hell?! Why did she do that? Personally I didn’t argue or make a scene on one hand I suspected my parents didn’t even have the goddamn 13$ and besides I trusted the little kid’s persistence to get what he wanted. He pledged he cried he even yelled nothing worked. On Saturday, my mom went to work and I was all alone with him at 8 am he turned off the TV, took off his pajamas and put on his sports outfit, he dug out a towel (I am not sure where he got it from since the towels are put at the top of the closet he can’t reach them), he unfolded it then refolded it so that it wouldn’t take much space (it looked like a big sushi!). He got his bottle of water, emptied it and refilled it, placed it on the table next to the towel. He even opened his wallet pulled out a 50 000 LL bill and asked me: Is this a 5000LL, when he was informed he was mistaking he put it back to its place and pulled out the right 5000LL bill. Then he brushed his teeth, washed his face and sat down calmly. Amused of his independent attitude, I asked:

And where are you going?

3al Gymnastique

He was not asking permission he was not waiting for my answer, he was just stating a fact! Well since I had nothing to say about this I just asked him to change his outfit (it was a winter outfit!) and to change his socks, I also let him know that it’s too early to go, but he didn’t mind he patiently waited. Now of course I didn’t use his 5000LL to pay for his registration, I took money from my elder brother and paid with it (and in fact it was 30 000LL and not 20 000LL but anyway).

At noon I took him back home he was SOOOOO happy and sweaty, he accepted to take a shower (something unusual for him!) and he didn’t nag for the whole weekend! He even ate like a hungry beast! Above all I was pleased with his attitude… My brother has a character! I never had that, I was such an inhibited, sheltered unconfident child, I just love to see him like this, it makes me worry a little less about him.

6 comments:

ChrisinMB said...

hmm, why do I feel some déjà vu here? LOL

awwww, that's cute!
So can he go every week now?

Maybe you should join him!
Wouldn't it be great if you could also walk on your hands!
Just imagine how cool your little brother would think you are! :D

programmer craig said...

This is great! Your brother can be just like my friend Rodney was, when I was in High School. He used to do handsprings, cartwheels, tumbles and all kinds of crazy crap and he'd end up on the other side of the football field in like... 5 seconds flat. Rodney was very popular with the ladies... made me kinda wish I was in gymnastics instead of other sports.

Pazuzu HSP said...

Ok first of, sorry for the double post, I was about to fix it when the electricity went off for 24h!!!


When I was a kid I wished I could do some gymnastics, but it isn't that available, I'm just so thrilled he's doing this, hopefully he'd keep on going and wouldn't just give up after a while :P

Oh and chris, my brother wouldnt think I'm cool even if I could fly!

ChrisinMB said...

"Oh and chris, my brother wouldnt think I'm cool even if I could fly!"

Oh what a liar you are! I bet he already idolizes his big sis! :P

Pazuzu HSP said...

oh you will soon be supplied with evidence proving how wrong you are :P

Unknown said...

I am very very happy to hear good news about G.