Lollipop

Maya wants to be a “zoo doctor” when she grows up. She treasures her animal encyclopedia that I had picked up at a yard sale and blurts out random trivial information about animals I have never heard of before. ”Mom, did you know that Vampire bats will suck your blood only by your nose? Because that’s where you have lots of blood vessels close together”. ”Mom, did you know that the blue whales are the biggest mammals?” ”Mom, did you know that…” Yes, I think she should be an animal doctor.

Mona, too says she wants to be a zoo doctor, but she just says that because that’s what Maya says. I know Mona really just wants to be a juggler and work at IGA slicing deli meat and live right next door to me so “mom, you can watch my 14 kids while I work at IGA”.

I remember the dreams and ambitions I had as a kid. Fashion designer. Olympic swimmer. Organ teacher. Coffee shop owner. English teacher. I too wanted to be a vet like Maya at one point until I realized I would sometimes have to euthanize animals. But the very first dream I ever had…I was probably 3. I declared to my parents that I would become a lollipop when I grew up. You know the kind you get from the fairs and carnivals. The huge swirl multi-colored one. The whole reason behind it was that my mom once told me that I couldn’t buy one of those lollipops. So, I figured if I became one, then mom couldn’t refuse. Pretty sly but smart logic, I think. When I think of this particular memory, it always makes me smile…

(*The pic above is Maya @ 3 yrs old eating one of those big lollipops)