"Kid-napped!"

It was a Saturday like no other. For instead of spending it somewhere downing bottles of beer with drinking buddies or in the gym feeding the fantasy of being buffed, it became a bonding time with kids as I unabashedly joined them in pursuing kiddie stuff.

It started mid-morning of Saturday when a law school mate’s child was baptized. As expected, the entire gang was there. And more expectedly, I was not able to escape the reglementary ribbing as regards my remaining a bachelor. Standing as ninong (godfather) always arouses the interest of friends to egg me to plunge into family life, pronto. Yeah right! As if it’s simply like picking an apple in your neighbor’s orchard.

After the reception, I had to rush back home as I have promised the entire brood of nephews and nieces that I will bring them out. We’ve been to the regular malls before so we decided to go for some leisurely walk at the Marikina Riverbanks.

Unfortunately, it rained. So we had to stay indoors. Thus, aside from the playtime at the kids’ zone, it also became shopping time for school supplies. And you know how it is when shopping with kids. You always must have ready cash for the toys they fancy. The good uncle that I was (ahem), I of course can’t help but give in.

Truth is, I haven’t had a decent sleep at the time as I got home only the next day after an exhausting Friday night out. But it was fun being with the hyperactive kids. It makes you feel energized (or else, you’d just lose any one of them in the crowd) and it brings you back to a time in your youth when simple things were major sources of joy. And who doesn’t enjoy incoherent, repetitive and out-of-this-world childtalk?

Needless to say, it was a Saturday worth the exhaustion.

But then again, having my own kids is a different story altogether.