Little Ninjas
It is morning. I know it is because I feel someone tugging at my sleeve. I open my eyes and see two little faces gazing at me. Grandson #1 says "Nanee wake up. It's time for the battle to begin."
Grandson #2 says " Come on, come on, Nanee! Bad Guy! Oh no," and runs away.
It is only seven thirty …
Their mother carries them off to eat breakfast, but I get up and have tea, because I have a busy day. I must battle the Green Ninja and the Little Ninja. I shall be stunned, killed, revived and reactivated many times in our game, because I am the bad guy and I have to be defeated and reformed, and eventually graduate to the role of Yellow Ninja.
One of my three grandchildren said, "You have to play with us a lot now, because you are old and soon you will die."
"But I shall still be able to see you from heaven and maybe even send you messages," I say.
"Oh no, you won't be able to do that because you will go to hospital and they will put you in a wooden box and you'll never talk or move again."
I frequently hear the refrain "Nanee, stay and play with me", or " Dadee I'll miss you when you go away on holiday."
These words must be the sweetest that any person could hope to hear.
In the meantime I return to my Ninja battles. The cushions are all over the floor, the toys are in disarray and every conceivable object has been used as a weapon. My knees begin to creak from the lunging and fighting, so I am delighted and relieved when it is time for lunch.
Later there is more play on the slides and swings, where I must push ever harder so that the boys can go ever higher. Or there is soccer in the lawn, or games of tag, or chasing a small child as he pedals furiously down the road on his little bike. He knows he must stop at crossings, and must wait for Nanee or Mama, so that it is safe play.
And finally —oh joy! — dinnertime and bath with Mama and Baba.
I settle down with a cosy book. Suddenly the door bursts open, and a small child appears wearing Spider Man undies and nothing else. "Hello! I'm back!" — he chortles.
His mother rushes in to catch him, but in the meantime another smaller child trots in, dressed only in talcum powder. "Nanee, I escaped!" — he cries.
Daddy arrives hot on their heels, and carries the children off, one under each arm. My daughter collapses on the bed and takes a few deep breaths…
I look in to see the little ninjas later, and find only one of them asleep. Grandson #1 says to me gravely, "I have trouble getting to sleep because I have a lot of energy, and I need to use it up first."
Soon he too falls asleep, and I see the two of them sprawled sideways across the huge bed, their little round faces angelic and peaceful, getting their energy back for another day of play.