anything. Her dress looked as
though it suffered the same fate as her hair.
“Hello!” I walked over to her,
kneeling down to her level. “What is your name?”
“Nawwi.” she replied, fidgeting
her hair with her fingers.
“Narri?” I asked and she
nodded. “Hello Narri, I'm Alina. You have a very pretty name. Do you want to
come in?” I asked.
I stood up and set aside the
tent doors to welcome my first visitor into my new home.
She launched herself straight
in, ran towards my cot, hopping up on it. She settled there with a little
wiggle and then patted the cot to indicate I should join her, kicking her feet
back and forth with excitement.
I was immediately
uncomfortable.
I didn't know much about little
kids. I had never really had an opportunity to be around any, but if I was
going to be on the island for a while, I figured I might as well jump in feet
first.
“How old are you Narri?” I
asked.
She shrugged.
‘Ok, strike one.’ I
thought.
“Do you like to play games?” I
asked.
She shook her head yes
enthusiastically.
“What is your favorite game?”
She shrugged again.
‘Strike two.’ I thought
again.
“Do you like animals?” I asked.
I was losing steam. Games,
animals, songs...that was all the little kid ammunition I had.
Again, another enthusiastic
head nod to the positive.
“Do you have a favorite
animal?”
Another shrug.
I was starting to feel a rise
of helplessness, looking around for something that would keep the interest of a
talking toddler because the only song I knew was row, row, row, your boat and I
was a terrible singer.
‘Can you have an awkward moment with a toddler?’ I wondered.
I'm sure it was only awkward on
my side as she looked incredibly comfortable and satisfied the whole time. She
was fiddling with her dress and kicking her legs back and forth off the side of
the cot, happy as can be and I was just sitting there at a loss for words.
But then I was rescued.
Riff peaked his head out of the
top of my jacket. I had gotten used to him sleeping in there that I had all but
forgotten about him.
“What's dat?” asked Narri,
pointing towards the lump in my jacket.
“This is Riff.” I responded
quickly, relieved we now had something to talk about.
I unbuttoned a few buttons on
my jacket, creating a wider opening for Narri to inspect Riff. He did not leave
the security of my jacket completely, but did move his head out a little to
sniff the new place and the small person who was now only two inches from him.
“Can I touch?” she asked
hopefully.
“Yes, but be gentle. Riff
doesn't know you yet, so you have to go slow.” I instructed gently.
Narri reached her hand out to
Riff, who started smelling her fingers once they had gotten close enough to
him. His nose touched her finger and Narri giggled.
“His nose is cold.” Narri said
with a laugh.
“Yes, it is.” I laughed.
“What's that sound he's makin?”
she asked.
“That is a purr. Riff is happy
and that is the sound he makes when he is happy.” I said.
Riff must have approved of
Narri because he was rubbing his hand eagerly over Narri's hand, much to her
delight and making his little purring noise. Narri was shrieking in delight and
Riff wasn't fazed by any of her noises.
I was satisfied that I had made
another little friend, through the help of my other little friend.
‘Who knew I had such a way with animals and children?’ I
thought, proudly.
“Alina?” It was Jeb calling
from outside my tent.
“Yes?” I called from inside the
tent. “Come in.”
“Have you seen...there you are
you little scamp!” He was talking to Narri.
The child's face became
extremely animated when she saw Jeb. She launched herself off the cot and into
Jeb's waiting and outstretched arms, Riff and I all but forgotten.
“Daddy!” she yelled, wrapping her
little arms around his neck, squeezing her eyes shut and grinning widely.
“Daddy, daddy, daddy! I missed you!”
Jeb's face was lit up
though it suffered the same fate as her hair.
“Hello!” I walked over to her,
kneeling down to her level. “What is your name?”
“Nawwi.” she replied, fidgeting
her hair with her fingers.
“Narri?” I asked and she
nodded. “Hello Narri, I'm Alina. You have a very pretty name. Do you want to
come in?” I asked.
I stood up and set aside the
tent doors to welcome my first visitor into my new home.
She launched herself straight
in, ran towards my cot, hopping up on it. She settled there with a little
wiggle and then patted the cot to indicate I should join her, kicking her feet
back and forth with excitement.
I was immediately
uncomfortable.
I didn't know much about little
kids. I had never really had an opportunity to be around any, but if I was
going to be on the island for a while, I figured I might as well jump in feet
first.
“How old are you Narri?” I
asked.
She shrugged.
‘Ok, strike one.’ I
thought.
“Do you like to play games?” I
asked.
She shook her head yes
enthusiastically.
“What is your favorite game?”
She shrugged again.
‘Strike two.’ I thought
again.
“Do you like animals?” I asked.
I was losing steam. Games,
animals, songs...that was all the little kid ammunition I had.
Again, another enthusiastic
head nod to the positive.
“Do you have a favorite
animal?”
Another shrug.
I was starting to feel a rise
of helplessness, looking around for something that would keep the interest of a
talking toddler because the only song I knew was row, row, row, your boat and I
was a terrible singer.
‘Can you have an awkward moment with a toddler?’ I wondered.
I'm sure it was only awkward on
my side as she looked incredibly comfortable and satisfied the whole time. She
was fiddling with her dress and kicking her legs back and forth off the side of
the cot, happy as can be and I was just sitting there at a loss for words.
But then I was rescued.
Riff peaked his head out of the
top of my jacket. I had gotten used to him sleeping in there that I had all but
forgotten about him.
“What's dat?” asked Narri,
pointing towards the lump in my jacket.
“This is Riff.” I responded
quickly, relieved we now had something to talk about.
I unbuttoned a few buttons on
my jacket, creating a wider opening for Narri to inspect Riff. He did not leave
the security of my jacket completely, but did move his head out a little to
sniff the new place and the small person who was now only two inches from him.
“Can I touch?” she asked
hopefully.
“Yes, but be gentle. Riff
doesn't know you yet, so you have to go slow.” I instructed gently.
Narri reached her hand out to
Riff, who started smelling her fingers once they had gotten close enough to
him. His nose touched her finger and Narri giggled.
“His nose is cold.” Narri said
with a laugh.
“Yes, it is.” I laughed.
“What's that sound he's makin?”
she asked.
“That is a purr. Riff is happy
and that is the sound he makes when he is happy.” I said.
Riff must have approved of
Narri because he was rubbing his hand eagerly over Narri's hand, much to her
delight and making his little purring noise. Narri was shrieking in delight and
Riff wasn't fazed by any of her noises.
I was satisfied that I had made
another little friend, through the help of my other little friend.
‘Who knew I had such a way with animals and children?’ I
thought, proudly.
“Alina?” It was Jeb calling
from outside my tent.
“Yes?” I called from inside the
tent. “Come in.”
“Have you seen...there you are
you little scamp!” He was talking to Narri.
The child's face became
extremely animated when she saw Jeb. She launched herself off the cot and into
Jeb's waiting and outstretched arms, Riff and I all but forgotten.
“Daddy!” she yelled, wrapping her
little arms around his neck, squeezing her eyes shut and grinning widely.
“Daddy, daddy, daddy! I missed you!”
Jeb's face was lit up
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