Cookie Power

My godfather and aunt are grandparents to what seems to be an army of kids that vary from 10 months of age to 17 years old. The first day we went to visit them (this would be on day 2 of our trip) all the kids were just standing there showing signs of shyness and not knowing if it would be OK for them to approach us.

Yes, they were told that we were their part of their family and to come and say hello. You must know that most everybody there shake hands to greet you, even the one year old would automatically extend their arms to shake hands. We, and specially me are used to hugging and kissing and after shaking their hands I would pull them and tell them to give me a hug. The kisses came later and you'll soon know why.

See, my aunt was so worried about making sure we would have food, and bread for our coffee that they kept telling the kids to go away. There was the school of kids just standing slightly on the other side of the door, not daring to cross the threshold as they feared to be reprimanded. I just didn't think that was right, for me to be enjoying a nice piece of bread with my cup of coffee while they just watched made my bread not taste so good after all.

So I decided to go out and as I stood in the middle of their front yard I asked "Who wants to walk to the store with me?" "Me, me, me, take me tio, me too tio, please take me, tio can I come too?, tio can I come?" they all asked, "Yes, yes, yes, and yes, yes, you may all come" was my answer.

All I kept hearing from my tios and the parents of the kids was, "you are going to regret it". So, against all odds and closing my ears to the many warnings coming my way I along with a bunch of little nephews headed over to the store. Remember that the store is owned by my tia whom was also our host as we were staying at her house, and from my godfather's house it's a good 15 minute walk.

Well, imagine about twelve little kids all fighting to be the ones holding my hand, they all took turns but I must say the little girls were smarter than the boys and were mostly the ones walking next to me. As we finally got to the store, my aunt saw us and couldn't help but laugh. She said I looked like the school teacher with all my class on a class trip.

I told the kids they could all get one item from the store, whatever they wanted, they were ready to loot the store but my aunt was smarter than all the kids combined and said, everybody out, I will let you in one by one and will hold your candy until you are all done. She said the older kids were usually to greedy and wanted big items. I told her today they get what they want. One by one they all marched into the store, picked their candy and went out again. I picked up and additional bottle of pop and a large pack of assorted cookies. Every kid was smiling as they all got what they wanted and get this, the whole thing only cost me about six dollars, what a bargain.

We got back to their house and you'd swear they just came back from a great field trip. Half an hour later, I once again called them and I opened the pack of cookies. One by one they all picked two cookies each and sat there around me to eat them.

The next day we went back to visit them, but I stayed behind for about half an hour. My niece and sister told me that the kids didn't even say hi to them, instead all they wanted to know where was their tio (that would be me). I arrived half an hour later and was immediately mobbed by all the kids. To their surprise I unveiled a brand new cookie pack.

As you can imagine, tio Fide (again that's me) was a big hit. I tell you the cookie packs were only 12 pesos, about a dollar and .25 cents, but the smile on the kids faces and the memories that came back with me are priceless.