Chi-Wa-Wa

So I was playing catching up with my niece and nephews some one week back. We were discussing the boys trip to Hokaido – yes, HOKAIDO as in JAPAN! Jealous much but yeah *shrugs* - and what gifts they have to get me upon returning. If you remember correctly, they are 10yo and 7yo respectively.

Me: "Boys, I heard you guys are going to Hokaido, huh? Do you know where it is?"

Patrick the oldest one replied, "Of cos! It's JAPAN, dude!"

I rolled my eyes and said, "O-K, Mr. Smarty Pants. Are you looking forward to it, then?"

Pat: "No lah. I don't know what's there. Last time we went to Tokyo, it was bo-ring. So much walking to do." (Tour, that's why)

The youngest boy, Shawn chipped in, "YEAhh. So boring."

{Tokyo? Boring? I think adrienz will keel over and die now. Sorry adrienz J}

Me: "Right. But unlike you two, many of us do not get to travel as much they get to, you know. You should feel blessed."

Silent ensued. I guess they do not know what to say until I broke the silence, "Anyway, so what are you boys getting me from HO-KA-I-DO!"

Pat whimpered, "Urghh… I don't know. Fish?"

Me: "Ha, ha! Ok I want Hello Kitty."

Shawn laughed and said, "You like HELLO KITTY?" But it's for girls!"

Hahaha… we all laughed.

Me: "Ok, maybe a Chihuahua. "

"CHIHUAHUA?" Pat looked at me puzzled and wrinkled up his nose.

"Yeah, what is chi-wa-wa?" asked Shawn.

"Oh I know! It's some monkey flower. Monkey monster flower!" Pat said eagerly.

"No, no! It's chicken flower flower!" chipped in the unusually quiet niece, Janice.

I couldn't help but laughed out loud. Pat and Shawn were lost.

"I think she meant CHI being the chicken and HUA-HUA being the FLOWER in Mandarin."

The boys burst out laughing till tears came out. As for me, I was trying to imagine a Chicken with flowers all over.