LILINHA

                                                                 LILINHA








   Hi folks! remember me?
   Last time I spoke my peace I was only a very little baby. Literally... Well, I’m one year old now.
   I had a beautiful party to celebrate my birthday, with cake, a lot of balloons and a lot of  sparkling candles which, by the way, I didn’t understand... I think it should have only one candle... After all, I’ve turned only one...
   I was wearing a white shirt with gold letters with something written on it on it and, of course, I didn’t know what, since I cannot read yet, and a little pink paper hat on my head, held by a string that was almost choking me and I didn’t know how to get rid of it but, it was okay. I kept it on me anyways. I didn’t want to hurt my parent’s feelings. They planned the whole thin with so much love and care... I walked all over the lawn of a big house... What I didn’t understand was why such a big house like that didn’t have a room with a bed. That day, in one of my walks, I saw my other grandpa, the one with the mustache, sleeping on the floor, the space was big but he did not stretch his legs. Maybe he wanted to leave enough room for my walks but, I think someone could manage to have a bed there, so he could sleep better... Poor man!
   I ate my cake with my hands, as it should be, since I can’t use silverware yet. After the cake, or before, I don’t remember, some one gave me my first house and, best of all, mortgage free. My house came with piano, telephone, stove and all the good stuff. It is a kind of very tight but it’s okay. I liked it! The only thing that upset me a little bit was that I did not get a cell phone. Why? My mom has one, my dad has one, even my grandparents have cell phones. Why can’t I have one too?
   Latter that night, seated on my chair, I had more cakes, this time, little ones, with more candles. I didn’t like that much and gave them to my mom that ate them all. One by one... I also got a big envelope with a card inside with a lot o things written on it. I’m sure they were nice things. I can’t read but I trust my parents.
   My party was really special how my days have been since I came here...
   Now that I’m a little bigger, I made a very important decision... I want to be called Lilinha. This was the name that my grandpa gave me and I like it better than Savannah or Gurgula or Nolilinha... Savannah reminds me of a field with a few trees, Gurgula sounds like a terror movie and Nolilinha makes no sense at all, since I’m here. Besides, my grandpa, the one who lives in another planet,  knows better.
   I also realized that my cat is crazy. She eats herself. Maybe mom doesn’t feed her enough. Sometimes, she looks at me with her strange eyes, when I get near to pet her, she runs really fast and jump over the bed. I don’t know why... She’s crazy!!!
   I also know that my parents already think of my future. I think they want me to be a carpet installer when I grow up, because several times a week they train me, along with other kids, how to roll a very big carpet on the floor. I think, the next thing will be how to use a knife, glue, hammer and other stuff.
   Oh! I’m beginning to know how to swim. My dad takes me to a pool with a bunch of other kids and dads and he teaches me how to float on the water. Sometimes my dad even takes me under the water and I like it. I think that to learn how to swim is very good. Knowing how to swing will prevent me from falling in the pool when I’m running like crazy around it on my little bike, when I get one.
   I have a few teeth now and they help me a lot when I eat McDonald’s fries. Finally I don’t have to chew them and I’m beginning to learn all the goodies of life.
   My mom got much better. I think she replaced her old batteries and now she doesn’t need to recharge several times a day. But I think she’s too bony. Another day I tried to kiss her but I bumped on her leg and I almost hurt myself... What a huge pain on my forehead...
   Also, I’m afraid she will turn into a frog... Sometimes, when watching TV with me, or even playing at the floor, she makes strange noises with her throat. It scares me! I hope she stays like she is now and remains my mom.
   But I know I still have a lot to learn... There are a lot of things that I don’t understand about grown ups. One day I heard my granny saying she needed something too much. She repeated several times: too much, too much, too much... Then, my mom gave her a few tomatoes and she calmed down.... Very strange!
   I’m walking much better now. I’m learning how to run, only a few steps at a time but, I think it’s normal, right? Sometimes I get very tired and I seat on the floor just to have a break and rest for a while. Maybe one day I’ll be able to run like my aunt Nellie.
   Oh! Big news... I’m moving to a bigger house now. It has a nice garage, a swimming pool and a lot of other stuff that they talk about all the time but I don’t understand what are they. My mom and my dad said that the house is very beautiful and is located in a street full of threes. I don’t understand! I didn’t know that numbers could grows on roads. Maybe there are other numbers there too, like ones and fives as well, and they didn’t pay attention...But I trust them and I know I’ll be happy there as I’ve been here, and on the old house I used to live, in front of a jungle.
  





Copyright 5/2014 Eugenio Colin.