UNCLE CHAR

So, Charlie announces that he’s invited his two nephews, Matt and Chris, to come and stay over for the night.

Now, this declaration both shocks and excites me at the same time.

I feel sometimes that we’re forgotten by some of his family.  Living out here in the boonies; we must be feral, dirty, backward, uncouth, reckless rednecks, I reckon.

No one ever wants their kids to stay overnight with us, and it puzzles me as to why.  What am I missing?  Do we give off the impression of irresponsibility?  Mmmm…

Anyway, when Charlie’s sister Kellie, who he is not close to at all, agrees to them staying, my heart flips with excitement for Charlie.

If I take a step back a few days, The Buttlers were shopping in Krap Mart for some Christmas presents, and Jade and I decide that books would be good for Matt and Chris, because we know they love reading.

Charlie starts snoring at the suggestion.

So whilst Jade and I are looking at books, Charlie had wandered off to the sporting section, looks at the fishing gear, and fuck me: calls his sister that he rarely speaks too.

I’ll just insert here that I was quite proud of him doing that.   I think he’s getting too old to hold grudges now.

So he comes back to Jade and I, holding two fishing rods and two tackle boxes.  ‘I spoke to Kellie; he likes the idea of these for the boys for Christmas.’

‘You spoke to Kellie?’  Jade and I echo in disbelieve.

‘Yeah.  And the boys are coming to stay over the night on Boxing Day.’

***

So, as Boxing Day rolls around, I find I’m a little nervous.  I don’t know these boys very well, though I like them immensely.  They’re gorgeous boys and so beautifully mannered, but this will be unlike anything they’ve ever experienced, I think.

They’ve come up to the farm a few times before, but never for long periods, and never overnight.  I feel flattered and honoured that Kellie is willing to let her babies stay with us.  I’m really happy she trusts us enough to care for them.

I will never forget the look on Chris’ face when he opened his Christmas present.  I had bought two massive Christmas bags, possibly about a meter high and just as wide, to put the tackle boxes and fishing rods in.

When he opened the bag and saw what was inside, the smile that split his face will stay in my memory forever.

Never before have I seen such pure, unadulterated joy on a child’s face.  Sheer, pure, innocent joy as he pulled out the fishing rod.

Uncle Char explained to them about the rod and the boxes and the things inside, and that tomorrow, he would be taking them fishing in one of our dams that we know had yellow belly biting.

Over the course of the next day, I learnt one very clear thing about my beloved husband; he has infinite patience when it comes to kids.

He spent ALL his time with them.  He never ‘dumped’ them on me, never complained about these two shadows. 

He loved it.

He loved being ‘Uncle Char’.

From the kitchen window, I spied him on a few occasions, helping them with rods, teaching them how to drive the buggy, giving them a spin on the ride on mower, all the while smiling and laughing along with them.

It was beautiful to see.

After a yummy dinner of bangers, mash, onion gravy and chocolate self-saucing pudding, we settled in to play wii bowling.  Great family fun, and we all totally enjoyed ourselves.

After a hearty breakfast of buckwheat pancakes and caramelised bananas, the ‘men’ were off to do a spot of fishing and shooting (with the air rifle!).

That afternoon, the ute pulled up in the back yard, and the horn tooted.  Three very excited boys leapt out of the ute with a bucket, and came running into the house.

Chris had caught a 1kg yellow belly from the dam.  It was massive!  Almost as massive as the smiles on their faces.  Gold.

Uncle Char stood back telling me about how Matthew was the first to catch a fish, but decided to be kind and throw it back for another day.

However, Chris, the suddenly keen fisherman, kept his catch, and asked for some knives and a scaler to clean and gut the fish; which he did all by himself (with a little instruction from me).

After a yummy lunch of toasted egg and bacon sandwiches, a quick check of the yabbie nets, it was time to go.

I don’t know who was more disappointed; Charlie or the boys. 

After hugs, kisses and thanks all ‘round, Uncle Char drove his nephews back to Kilmore, Chris’ massive fish stowed in the eski.  Proud fisherman.

I really don’t know who had more fun; Charlie or the boys. 

I think Charlie really felt like an ‘Uncle’ for the first time; really relishing spending quality time with his charges.  It was beautiful. 

He had been planning for days.  Feeding the fish, organising his own fishing stuff; making sure he had enough caps for the air rifle… just gorgeous.

I know the boys love their Uncle Char, but Chris took too him like a fly on shit.  I saw him a few times looking up at him in complete adoration, and it made me smile.

What a profound impact Charlie would have on that boy’s life.  I think of the stories that Charlie would tell me of times he’d spend with his grandfather, eating raw potatoes from the ground (gross), and his memory of his grandfather’s ‘lake’ (to a young boy, a large dam would have easily looked like a lake).

I hope they come to stay again soon.  They were good fun.

Such a precious age, for both Uncle Char and his nephews.

Peace out.