30 March 2006

a conversation with robin

satisfied calfover a week ago while robin and i were walking from school we had this interesting conversation.

"dad, do you know i have a girlfriend?"

blink. blink.

ok. that stopped me. literally. right there. on my tracks. the mind goes blank for a moment.

robin just kept on walking, stops, looks back to me and says, "what?"

"nothing." i said, catching up to him.

my mind goes from a standstill to a fast series of images, videoscapes, sounds and finally i was able to blurt out, "you have a girlfriend?"

"yup."

" do i know her? is she one of your classmates?"

"yup."

"who."

"secret."

grrrr... well, the thing is, at that time, he was just seven and will be turning eight in a few days. i opted not to pursue the "who?" anymore and just concentrate on being the "cool" father. although to be honest i was excited for him.

"well, that's great! really! so how is it? having a girlfriend, i mean."

"its ok," robin said with a smile starting to break.

what the...? he's not excited about it?!?! but he was smiling while we were walking so i guess there's a bit of excitement there.

i'm also excited about the fact that he's comfortable enough with me as a father and maybe as an older friend to confide in me.

6 comments:

Amy said...

a random drop-in from rbj, sorry if i'm intruding abit. couldn't help but gush smiles reading this post of yours!

it's so sweeeet! very happy for robin and just as happy for you. it's the most wonderful feeling to be able to comfortably tell one's parents things usually reserved for friends =)

jose said...

ya! i'm really flattered about it. i hope that he can be open with me all the time.

and no, you're not intruding in any way. thanks for the visit!

Rabbit said...

I loved your post about "V for Vendetta", I saw it a few day's ago with my work buddies, it was very good, have you read the book?
Ha ha, this scenario has happened countless times in my family, fortunately, it has never happened to me, because nobody likes me 'cause I went to Woodstock and I wan't World Peace (Right on) and almost all of my community is for War and fighting, they all tell me I'm messed up, well, if you knew a person who died in one of the planes that hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center, woulden't you be "messed up" as well? But anyway....

jose said...

i read the comic series many years ago. as i remember it, it was all black and white except for the 'v' and the roses. now i really have to re-read the series again.

thanks for the visit!

Julz said...

awww...your son must be a charmer. =P If I told my mom I had a bf when I was 8, she'll probably freak out and drag me to school and find out who he is. lol

Cool dad.

jose said...

thanks! yes he is a charmer and, frankly, i'm both pleasantly surprised and pleased. an older cousin of his who studies in the same school often sees robin having a conversation with the high school or college girls. and most of the teachers and nuns knows him by his name!