Pampering Your Inner Child

Michael Jackson once sang, 'Have you seen my childhood?'
I revisited mine today, in Forum the shopping mall (after running another admin errand), which brought a myriad of different emotions.

My heart skipped a beat when I walked past the former Kawai music centre, where I used to sit anxiously while awaiting my turn to enter the piano exam studios.

I unleashed my inner child as I romped gleefully through Toys 'R' Us, cuddling the stuffed toys, checking out the latest figurines, and oggling at the Lego sets (especially the Lego Technic). Pity that they no longer have the tables with pieces of Lego for children to play with, I longed to sit at one of those again (and had the urge to bury my hands in a mountain of Lego pieces). A long-forgotten promise also surfaced to mind : when I was younger, I used to tell myself that I would return when I had financial autonomy (ie 'when I can spend my money on what I want) to buy the toys that I really wanted. Now, there appeared to be nothing I coveted (except a Lego Technic set that cost $850. Ouch...), so I settled for buying myself a packet of M&M's, and left with a grin on my face (and a mouthful of chocolate).

What better way to spoil my inner child, than to give in to the temptation of indulging a craving? I made a beeline for 'Genki Sushi', like a moth to a lamp (or like a kid to a candy shop). After all, when you have a strong craving for something, all roads will eventually lead you to the object of your desire (well, in the case of food anyway...). I finally fed my craving for cold Japanese green soba (buckwheat noodles) and salmon sashimi, justifying it as a pre-birthday treat from me to myself :)
Lounging in the bliss of my post-lunch drowsiness, I soaked in the atmosphere and watched the people around me : the dignified chef preparing slices of sashimi with quick and skilful flicks of his knife, the busy waitresses flitting from one table to another, the absorbed look on other customers' faces as they ate, and three pairs of mothers and sons who were sitting in different corners of the restaurant.

Initially, I stared in amazement at all three sons, who wore the same blue-checked shirts and shorts. Their mothers must have had some superb telepathic connection to dress their sons in exactly the same way! Then, sheepishly, it dawned on me that the three ladies were probably 'mummy's who had picked up their sons from the same preschool, and were all stopping by the same restaurant for lunch (which may also have been a telepathic feat). I recalled times when I, too, had joined my mum for a meal after school, and sat there bemused, a reminiscent half-smile on my lips.

To top it off, when pampering your inner child, no one should ever forget dessert. In this case, an ice cream cone from another childhood icon - McDonalds (Sure, I may have a certain level of financial autonomy, but I just blew more than $10 on lunch...)

And, typical of a day filled with indulgences, I'm now recovering from a sugar overdose (ie the pack of M&Ms and ice cream cone).

Still, you only live once. After all, as the slogan goes : 'Everyday is Sunday at Forum'. And you've got to treasure (and spoil) that little child within you sometimes. Right? My inner child would agree :)