From Classroom Villain to Puss in Boots

I've been rotting in bed since 2 pm yesterday, burning up with fever, a severely aching throat, a lost voice this morning and, in general, feeling pretty useless. Just as the world's most depressing thoughts began filling my brain, my 7-year-old got carted back home this morning by his grandmother. I had packed him off last night so that he wouldn't catch my infection.

He began hugging me and patting me on the head like I was his long-lost pet dog. "Poor little maamaa, please don't die on me," he pleaded, running around all over the house and balcony, following me everywhere. His waist-down hugs were extra tight today, and his beady eyes were more moist than usual (picture Puss in Boots from the *Shrek* franchise).

And just yesterday, I had been called to school by one of his sweet teachers from L.K.G., who complained that he was distracting the kids in his classroom by taking his pencil box to the back of the class and using it like a gun to shoot objects.

I held back a huge chuckle, shook his teacher's hand and told her, "Ma'am, I'm on your side."

Upon questioning mini-me about why he had created a fictitious story about being the victim instead of the villain of the piece, he muttered, "Because you would have scolded me, maamaa."

Now, after that gun-shooting-with-a-pencil-box classroom villain act, he had transformed himself into Puss in Boots in less than 24 hours.

As I continue to feel useless, groggy, sleepy and voiceless thanks to my achy throat, I pray my Puss in Boots has learnt his lesson and decided to remain a gentle cat today who doesn't want to go to war.

I'm off to sleep now, Dolo-induced and fever-induced.