A blog about the making of a t-shirt company.
Last Sunday, I became an uncle all over again. Aaron Lim was born in Singapore and is no doubt doing what babies do best: being a joy to his parents. For my sister, her usual discussions about the meaning of life and the universe will be temporarily put on hold. Instead, it will be placed by questions like: “Did he poo?”, “What colour is the poo?”, “Whose turn is it to change the diaper?” and of course, “Did I just feed him from my right or left breast?” It’s not easy being a parent …
Swimming class. Chinese language tuition. Classical architecture course. Horse-riding lessons. How to prepare your kid for Harvard tutorials. And that’s only what my (soon to be) 4-year old did this afternoon. This explains why we haven’t had a serious father to son talk since March. Also, I need to do something about that overspending on my supplementary credit card …
'Daddy in the office working' 2010
The 3-year old artist greeted me at the door. He pulled me to the staircase where his manager (affectionately known as ‘Mom’) hangs some of his drawings.
Lukas: Daddy, look!
Me: That’s nice. What’s it called?
Lukas: Daddy in the office, working.
Me: Ah, ok.
Lukas: You like?
Me: Why does Daddy have orange hair? It makes me look like a clown.
Lukas’s manager: That’s your ears.
Lukas: That’s your ears Daddy.
Me: Why do I look so evil?
Lukas’s manager: That’s how you always look when you come home.
Lukas: What is evil?
Me: Is that a cloud over my head or is it hair?
Lukas: It’s hair!
Me: And why is Daddy wearing a dress?
Lukas’s manager: He doesn’t know how to draw pants yet. Leave him alone.
Lukas: I don’t know how to draw pants Daddy. Leave me alone.
Me: Are we just going to put this painting here – what if somebody sees it?
The conversation ended abruptly at that point. Lukas went back to his toys, and soon forgot about the whole thing. His manager drifted to the kitchen either to prepare some food or rearrange the shelves so she can put up more paintings in the future.
It all started so innocently.
“What do you want Daddy to draw?” I asked Lukas.
“How about a giraffe?” He replied.
I proceeded to draw a giraffe while he watched.
Finished, I presented the work to him.
The 3-year old took out a pen and for my effort, gave me a ‘C+’
So March flew by pretty fast, no thanks to all these job reqs on my table. Plus, they multiply like rabbits on speed the minute my back is turned. At home too, young Lukas has been acting up and we (Laine and I) hope it’s all a phase. Won’t be long before he starts acting like a proper, grown-up and matured 3-year old. Then we can all get along as one big happy non-shouting family. In the meantime however, am inspired to write a song about the present situation.
What a wonderful mess
(Sung to the tune of ‘What a wonderful world’)
I see his dinner falling, grape juice too
I see the mop for me to clean
And I think to myself, what a wonderful mess
I see walls so blue, once it was white
The bright blessed crayons, who took ‘em out?
And I think to myself, what a wonderful mess
The colors of the rainbow drawn on my carpet
Are also on the clothes I wear to work
I see friends with kids much better behaved
They’re really thinking I’m a lousy dad
I hear a kid crying, yes he’s mine
He’ll wail louder than a jet engine
And I think to myself what have I done
Yes I think to myself why do I deserve this?
