KoroJ's Blog

It’s easy to get wrapped-up in our jobs and get too busy to enjoy the small moments that come along.

For me, my day is pretty much spent at a computer and there’s always plenty to get on with so it’s head-down, arse-up, but the highlight of my week is often a visit from my mate Jake.

Jake and Elane-Mei (pronounced E-lay-nee May) are my Moko’s, or more correctly my Great-nephew & Great-niece, or if you want to be really pc correct…my first cousins twice removed. Jake is nearly 3 and Elane is about 7 or 8 months and these visits occur when my niece Caroline takes them past my office on the way to the library, postshop or supermarket. I might note here that for her to attempt to pass without a visit would be futile and met with all the furore that a three year old can muster.

The visits follow a set format, but there is room for variations by either party and they generally go something like this…..

I hear him coming and position myself, back-to-the-door, a picture of concentration.

Jake strolls in and says cherrily, “Hello!”

To which I respond in a semi-gruff voice (because I’m a grumpy old man), “Who’s that!...Where’s my glasses so I can see?” as I turn around making a show of changing glasses. “Oh it’s you….What d’ you want?” I say, voice still sort of gruff.

At this point my mate stops and rolls his eyes up and to the left, searching for an appropriate response because it would be poor form, not to mention bad manners to get straight to the point and ask for a lolly…. “Ummmm!” comes the reply.

I save the day with another question, “Where are you going?”

And he replies, “To the library.” Big smile plastered across his face.

“Going to see Thomas I suppose?” not quite as gruff

“And James.” He adds quickly.

“What about Diesel?” I ask.

“Yes him too.” He replies thankful that the niceties are almost over.

“You’ve come a long way…..must need some energy?” I add.

“Yes I do.” He replies in thoughtful contemplation.

So now we are back to where we started and I can ask again, “What d’ ya want?”

Quick as a flash, eyes lit up like Christmas trees, Jake blurts out “A lollipop!!”

At this I have to make a show of searching to see if I have that, which initiated the visit in the first place, but we aren’t allowed admit to this fact and therefore pretend that this is a first. My mate waiting patiently knowing that I will eventually get to the right drawer, his eyes getting wider all the time and the smile erupting with joy to “A lolly” when I eventually emerge from my bottom drawer, lolly in hand and asking “Oh…what’s this?”

My mate Jake can now carry onto the library knowing he has received sufficient energy for the long trek home (about 2-300 metres), and that his uncle John has come to the fore once again.

I can now carry on my day with a smile on face knowing that I have fulfilled my ‘Koro-ly’ duties which is all about pay-back time for my children, nephews and nieces. I see it as my job to, in the words of eminem, ‘create a monster’ that I can spoil then give back to the parent to deal with. I might add that this is an easy roll to fulfil ‘cos Jake’s my mate.