Daddee Yah!

.
Daddee has been psyching me up for about a week before the day. He was saying that even though Saturdays are no-school days, we will still have to go attend it.

Daddee himself didn’t seem sure what to expect of the day. Although he didn’t tell me this, I heard him talking to Mummee about the day. He thought there’d be games where parents are also expected to participate in events too. I personally think he wasn’t actually looking forward to going, but wanted to instill a sense school participation in me. I guess it was after all a Saturday and weekend..

So the days leading up to that Saturday, whenever Daddee dropped me off at school and if Principal was there at the gate, she’d be asking Daddee if he’d bought some coupons yet. I think he likened her to persistent sales people who don’t let up till you say “yes”. On Thursday, Daddee (finally) filled in the forms for purchasing them. He got RM10 worth of coupons, not really sure if this was enough or too much. A teacher at the gate assured him that he is likely to be able to buy some more at the place if he needed some more.

So the day came. Daddee had me dressed up. We were required to be in our gym gear, which is our school t-shirt and shorts. Because Mummee had a girls night out before, she didn’t come along. Silly Daddee didn’t realise that the venue is actually also an indoor stadium. Goes to show how much attention he paid during the Commonwealth games when it was held here; else he would have known that by the name of the stadium it was likely where the badminton games were held- in an indoor stadium. So, silly Daddee actually had me put on some sun screen! He also packed the baseball cap I wore when visiting Sydney over Christmas, and brought along his own U2 cap too; that really really worn one he got in the mid90′s during something called a rock concert, which he now only wears when he is expecting to sweat, like when he goes outdoors or during exercises.

Daddee also soon pinned the paper with my school’s branch name on it on my chest, as instructed.

Strangely, given his poor sense of direction (which I think I DIDN’T inherit- thank God for that) Daddee actually managed to find the venue and the actual stadium. There was a queue of cars going into the carpark already. Cars were lining the tiled road leading into the compound, and Daddee decided not to follow the next queue and parked along the tiled road too.

After alighting, Daddee and I headed towards the stadium, along with the other children in their similar gym getup. Since teacher had already given out papers on where in the stadium parents should drop their kids off, and which entrances to use depending on which school we were in, Daddee actually gave me the confidence he knew what he was doing. Which I trusted him when he dropped me off at this entrance where all the teachers were collecting the school children, effectively being separated from their parents in this alien place of hallways and walkways with booths and many heavy doors.

I think Daddee must have felt a little silly when he knew that the stadium was in fact an indoor one, cos when I saw him later, his knapsack bag was a lot lighter; the car wasn’t parked very far away

I was ushered away downstairs out of Daddee’s sight but quickly united with friends from my own school and class, all wearing the same get up and the same branch name on their chests. It was a relief too to be with my friends in this big alien unfamiliar structure.

Soon we were taught what to do when we were given the cue…. And when the time came, I could hear some band playing outside, in this very open looking flat shiny wooden floor. Then a loud voice started talking, saying welcome and other adult things which I didn’t understand. Soon we were ushered to start doing what we were just told a few minutes ago.

We held hands in a row according to class and started marching out the door into the open wooden floor place.

OHMYDEAR there was so many people up higher in rows of chairs! The lights were on, shining down on us, the band was still playing the music, all the children from the other branches were also marching out in a round near the adults up in the stands and towards the middle of the big wooden floor area. There were adults cheering and shouting out names to the children, waving like silly adults, so I kinda figured that these must be parents. Hmm.. Where is my Daddee?

There he was, camera in one hand, waving at me with the other. There were adults all cramming to come to the front to wave too, cramming the aisle with standing adults. But Daddee was sitting down comfortably in the front row. Clever Daddee.

It was a fun day. I played some silly game of collecting and then placing ping pong balls from a basket into egg cartons and running around some witch hat cones and high-fiving my friend to start her turn. After that, we were all given a medal each, and that was it for us, while the other older kids had their turn and played similar games that also included making what adults callled a u-turn around witch hats.

After that, Daddee came to get me from the designated post, and we walked around using the coupons to buy stuff. Daddee got me more stickers! Then there were 2 more air-castles which I absolutely climbed all over while Daddee patiently waited holding my shoes.

Soon, when more and more children were released from the stadium, the whole place was getting too crowded and it didn’t seem like fun anymore bumping into adult bums. Daddee suggested going home; I was getting tired already anyways…

Come Monday the school will be closed. I guess the teachers need the break more than us kids!