With Nate Nate...

Tues, 24 Sept 2013
In car with Gaama, after picking up Nate from Pats, 5.45pm....
Nate climbed in and strapped himself up on passenger seat beside grandma.
Tilting his head a little, Nate instantly asked: "Gaama, where's grandpa?".
"He's in his office".
"What is he doing in his office, Grandma?
"Grandpa has work to finish. Why, Nate, do you miss Grandpa?"
The macho Nate replied,"No".
"Then why do you ask, Nate?
""I asked because I came into the car and I cannot see Grandpa".
[Factual, Macho Nate not wanting to admit he misses Grandpa].

Back in #09-06 grandms's home....
As Grandma was alone, Nate was very responsible to carry grandma's Samsung tablet carefully all the way up to the apartment. "Nate, hold it carefully. It is very expensive. You drop it, the glass will crack and it will be gone". "Ok, Grandma. How much is it?".  "$800". "You know, I have $200 but I can make it to $800. My dardy keeps my money".

Nate carefully placed my tablet on my dining table and ran off to do his usual routine:  Turned on heater of outside bathroom. Ran into Grandma's room, turned on toilet light, undressed himself and sat on the throne to do his business. Meanwhile, grandma will change into casual clothes.

"Grandma, I am done!" Nate quickly shouted. "You wait, Nate. Grandma has to go toilet. Very urgent. Describe it". "It is large, but not humongous. One only". "Try pass another one," shouted Grandma from outside bathroom. "Cannot, no more". "Then you wait until I'm done". "ok".

After cleaning Nate from his toilet seat, he would flush the water, pick up his dirty briefs from floor and run to the outside bathroom, undressed completely and step into the shower.... to be processed.

Under shower, Nate asked again:
"Grandma, where's Grandpa?"
"I told you in the car that Grandpa is working. Why, do you miss Grandpa?"
"Yes", Nate finally admits [must be thinking Grandpa would not be present to process him into clothes after shower].
"Grandma, do you live alone?" "No, I live with Grandpa".
"Why do you ask, Nate?"
"I want you to come and stay with me at my house".
"Where do I sleep, Nate?".
"In the hall.." "Nate, I dont want to sleep in the hall".
Nate took few seconds to think: "Ok, Grandma, you can sleep on mummy and dardy's bed. But, I want to tell you something. Now whenever I go to mummy's bed, Emily is always there with mummy drinking milk".
"So, what do you do, Nate?". "I have to go back to sleep in my own bed".

Shower ended, so did our conversation. Nate picked up his dirty clothes and ran into the spare room. But grandpa was not present to process Nate.
"Nate, you dress yourself and pack your dirty laundry into a plastic bag to bring back to aunty Erna for washing. Grandma has to bathe now. You can get an ntuc plastic bag from under the kitchen sink to pack your clothes".
"OK, grandma. I can do it".

Midway through my shower in my bathroom, I wondered how Nate was progressing alone. Then I heard Nate playing the Portasound happily in the hall. Presumably, all ok.

When I emerged from bathroom, I saw Nate at the Portasound and a neatly packaged ntuc bag [containing Nate's dirty laundry] sitting at the main door, ready to be carried across to 23-02 on our way out.

Good boy Nate. Independent.