Jimmy

I have to confess: my nephew Jimmy is one of my favorite people. He and I have been very close since he was born: I held him for about six hours uninterrupted and it was love from then on. We've stayed pretty close through long hours of playing, reading, and watching movies together, and I always enjoy listening to him chat (even though he can be a tad long-winded). He's also proven to be a kid after my own heart. Case in point (and the impetus for this entry): the day of this posting I have been watching the boys as their baby-sitter is on vacation. I brought myself a little chai mix to make myself a drink. Jim passes me from time to time and spots my cup.

"What is that?" he asks, a devilish little grin spreading across his face.

"What do you think it is?" I ask as I take a sip.

"I know what it is."

"No, you don't."

"Can I have a sip?" By this time he is grinning from ear to ear.

"How do you know you want a sip?" I ask. "You don't even know what it is."

"Yes, I do! It's chai!" All this from a brief glance into my cup at a non-descript, muddy brown liquid. And he continues to cajole a sip from me.

Of course, I can refuse him nothing (at least on this scale). So I dutifully give him a sip. He has come back repeatedly for more. And though it's a wrencher to share my only cup of chai, it's made worth it by two things. One, he sighs contentedly (though rather dramatically) every time I grant him a sip. Secondly, he continually asks to sip off a spoon because he thinks "it sounds like a helicopter." Thankfully, I have only the one cup today!