Incidences at camp

During church camp 2008:

#1
I was standing at the doorway, my back dripping wet from JC's moment of insanity. I could feel the water, mingled with the cool of the air conditioning, starting to seep into my bones. I watched patiently as mother-daughter continued to negotiate for the next five minutes in the most polite debate I have ever witness.

ETC: you have to take your bath now
En: But I don't want to
ETC: we need to go to 7-eleven after this
En: But I don't want to go. I want to read my book (It was an Enid Blyton, not the pic on the left)
ETC: Then who's going to accompany me to 7-eleven?
En: You can go yourself. And while you're there, could you please buy me some more Mamee.
ETC: Well if you bath now we could go together and buy whatever you want.
En: I don't wanna bath. You go bath first
ETC: I can't bath first. I'll be clean. How are we going to bath you after that

The conversation was going no where. And I was still standing at the doorway. I was too wet to plop myself on my bed or go through my stuff. Perhaps I should bath while they argue, I thought. The negotiation had now gone up one pitch. I shifted my weight between my feet while I felt a shiver. Almost 10 minutes had gone by. My brain circuit fried that instance. All hell broke lose.

@nne: En get in the bathroom now! I've been standing there for too long in the cold and I'm wet. If you don't bath I can't bath! So close your book and get in the bathroom now! (I had a lot more things to say which I manage to control with every will power I had)
En: *looks at me temporarily shocked*
@nne: Didn't you hear me? Go now!
En: But my feet are all wrinkly now.
@nne: Well then you should go bath now and dry it out later. Why would you want to go through that process twice?

And then I went through a momentary negotiation period with that 9-year-old. How DOES she do it? The kinds of argument she can conjure a 9! But she finally made her move when I finally gave her a little shove off the arm chair.

* * *

#2
It was a different day and a different time. I sat this time in front of my laptop, putting pictures together for a presentation that night. I had been steadily doing that for the past 2 hours now and was not yet done. Between hundreds of picture, a story and a very tiny mouse, it was impossible to finish it. I told myself to stay focus.

C'lene was by my side and I really had wish I had time to talk to her instead. But my left brain told me I hadn't bath or eaten and I was a long way from finishing. I was dry of ideas as well. The clock struck 7.15pm and I panicked. Just then a horde of teenage girls burst into my room, with their high pitched voices, demanding my attention of their presence while curious at what I was doing.

@nne: Girls, I'm busy and I do NOT have time to bath or eat! I really must finish this! Howw...

Again they burst into chatters, indignantly exclaiming the whats and whys. Focus, I told myself. I had learnt to ignore the squeals and incessant chatters and remain un-frazzled amidst such chaotic ambiance.

In the next 45minutes, the girls organized parties to get my food, bring pictures I needed, commented and suggested on taglines for the presentation, answer my phone calls, etc. (Organize, in this sense, means in a random way with my stressing orders and requests above my laptop). I was touched by their concern and it reminded me something very important to me. Thank you Lord!

I managed to finish up the presentation at 8.05pm, chased all the girls out like a flock of birds, changed and ran down to drink my cold and waiting dinner, sneak into the hall while others were praying to see the laptop and projector in order. Phew!