Ping: “What are you doing?”
Me: “Work”
Ping: “But you don’t have other work, except for me! …and the other guys that you babysit.”
A lot of my 2014, and the last three years has been getting to know this kid that goes by Ping. His Mama, Paweena, and I met in school and I’m glad we did. The two of them and their +1, Eric, have become family here in NYC. When Ping tells me that he is my work, he’s right. However, I don’t see him as work. Ping has brought a lot of fun to my daily routine. He is honest, open, and lovable. He wears his heart on his sleeve. When he’s upset, I know it, but when he’s happy, he is beaming. He sometimes pulls the jerk card, but mostly not. After all, he is a kid so that is allowed. Working with and around Ping has been a challenge. Always making it to school by 2:30PM so he doesn’t have to wait in “office jail” for his lame sitter, but at the same time working up to the very last second to make the most of the morning. Then sometimes sitting like a buddha at the school playground, laptop out and designing underway while soccer balls come a little too close to hitting my computer screen. I’ve taken phone calls while paying for snacks at the corner deli and sent e-mails from the free wi-fi at his fight school gym.
All of this has mostly been a blessing. A blessing that I am able to do my work, while spending time with a kid that reminds me about the importance of stopping computer time to make time to play a card game or think about all the powers of “mythical creatures.” Ping reminds me that it’s okay to eat Nacho Cheese Doritos because they are actually pretty good and that it is okay to break the rules. Ping reminds me to never set limits because there are none in his imagination. He tells me stories that make no sense and sometimes I just say “yeah sure” even though I can’t follow. Ping’s creative nature and fun-loving spirit is something I hope he never loses. He’s growing up to be a little man (with the guidance from awesome Mama and Eric) and I’m lucky to witness greatness in the making.
