Children at Work

Prof. Peter is happy that the children are having fun with their rooms and all, but there remains a question: who should I depend these girls on when I am at work? After thinking, he first contacted his adjacent neighbours, both of which:

1) have children on their own and 2) are struggling to keep up with their tasks that they do not have time and capacity for more managing.

Prof. Peter considered taking a babysitter, but wonders whether the babysitters truly has understanding of what kids truly need or is in just for the money and paying bills.

Prof. Peter also considers taking them to the kindergarten, but he noticed that even HE did not find kindergartens attractive. Prof. Peter wondered who can be their caretaker.

In the end, Prof. Peter makes a sign on paper, in his bedroom:
'I NEED CARETAKER ASSISTANCE FOR MY KIDS. PLEASE SEND LETTERS HERE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.' Then, that's it. The rest - blank.

So, Prof. Peter calls the kids.

"Kids, I have a dillema. Tomorrow, I am going to work, and during that time, nobody is taking care of you. What you propose that I should do?", Prof. Peter asked.

"Well, what options do you have?", Blossom asked.

"I can leave you you to the caretaker, or I can send you to the kindergarten, or I can take you to my workplace.", Prof. Peter answered.

"What do you think about them?", Blossom asked.

"If I leave you to the caretaker, I am worried that the caretaker will not understand you. If I leave you in the kindergarten - well, I can, but it is more because it is expensive and I did not think the atmosphere of the kindergarten is suitable for you. If I take you to my workplace, I will be worried about your safety, as well as causing a lot of trouble to these security guards, seeing you walk alone, and my room being so small - I wonder if you found much to play in that small room. Well, of course there's the university library - the university is where I work - so, yes, we can all go to the university library if you want, but I wonder if you can actually read all those heavy textbooks and diagrams."

"Wait, you said university? What's a university?", Blossom asked.

"University is a place where a lot of older people read and study. A lot of interestingly educational stuff happens there.", Prof. Peter answered.

"Educational stuff? What is that?", Blossom asked.

"... ... ... ... well, we teach and learn about everything.", Prof. Peter answered.

"Hmm... I choose the university.", Blossom answered.

"Buttercup?", Prof. Peter asked.

"... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... library... ... ...", Buttercup answered.

"Bubbles?"

"... zzz ... zzz ... zzz ...", Bubbles snored silently, her eyes closed gently.

"Bubbles?"

"... (sniff)... hu- Yes?", responds Bubbles.

"The caretaker, kindergarten, or my university?", asked Prof. Peter.

"... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... university?", said Bubbles.

"Alright, you kids can go to your rooms. I will decide what to choose and I will call you back.", Prof. Peter ordered.

As Prof Peter sat alone on the dining table, he utters to himself:

"I'd like that university option. Sure, if I free the kids, of course the security guards will worry, because I did not keep track of them! HOWEVER, if I just limit them to my room, my classes and the university library, and make sure the kids got something to do, it's not such a bad idea after all. Yeah... ... ... yeah... I think I'm going with that."

So, Prof. Peter calls back the kids and say, "You can follow me to the university."

"YAY! To the university!", said Blossom, cheering honestly.

Bubbles and Buttercup's jaws dropped slightly. Blossom said to them, "We're going to the university! We're going to the university!", Blossom said, while grabbing and shaking their shoulders. They are indeed happy, but none is as exuberant as Blossom.

The next day, the kids prepared themselves - albeit with having only cardboard as furniture won't do, so Prof. Peter makes space on his queen-sized bed for them in the night. Prof. Peter gave them his clean towels for his girls - one day, he will go thirfting with these girls - so he wished. So as the kids got ready, he writes down a note:

'FIND A REPAIRMAN/HANDYMAN TO HANDLE HOME RENO'

'GO THRIFTING DURING CLOSEST WEEKEND'

He put the date, and removed the note showing previous date, seeing what jobs had he not completed, and he write them all down on the newer note.

He immediately grabs his bags, containing his materials, and his keys. He looked at them ready for their first trip. He said, "I'm... sorry I'm a bit late. Come, kids.", Prof. Peter added.

They entered the car, drove past scenery, and arrived at the university. Finding a parking spot is a little tougher, but at last they secured a parking spot.

Firstly, Prof. Peter needs something to keep them occupied. So, he called the kids back. "Kids, we'll go the art store first.", Prof. Peter said. So, they drive again, and parked at Art and Design faculty. The professor tried to locate an art store among the few businesses that are allowed to be set up by the university, and he chanced upon one.

Prof. Peter ordered them to buy something that can be used directly, eg. crayons and colour pencils, sharpeners, and paper, "... and only pick the ones that you will use often, because Dad wants to keep only one or two things." So they went and brought those colour crayons, colour pencils and pencils. Prof. Peter brought sharpeners and several rolls of mahhjong papers. He paid them, and drove back to his faculty. They immediately go to his room.

The room is quite special. It contained a lot of books.

With Prof. Peter relaxing himself and started working, the kids pulled out mahhjong paper and started drawing.

Blossom draws a circle.

Prof. Peter looks and Blossom asked, "Dad, what is THIS?"

"It's a circle.", Prof. Peter answers.

"OOH. Circles?", Blossom asked.

"Yes! Circles!", answered Prof. Peter.

They they drew some more.

Bubbles made a triangle.

"Dad, what is THAT?", Blossom said.

"It's a triangle.", Prof. Peter answered.

"Triangle?", Bubbles said.

"Yes! It's a triangle!", answered Prof. Peter.

"Ooaa... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...", Bubbles exclaimed.

Bubbles looked at Buttercup's drawing.

"Buttercup, what's that?", said Bubbles.

"It's a drawing.", said Buttercup.

"That's... ... ... true.", said Prof. Peter.

"But what kind of drawing is that?", said Bubbles.

"It's squiggles.", said Prof. Peter.

They sat silently as Buttercup drew more and more squiggles. She drew so much that the drawing nearly engulf her. Buttercup's is the largest drawing among them.

He looks at the time. It is time.

"Come kids, pack your stuff here, and carry my small things: we'll go to my class.", Prof. Peter ordered them. So they did.

At his first class with with the kids on board, he introduced them to students: "These are my kids: Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup. They will be a part of my class from now on, so I want you to treat them kindly and softly to them. Make sure you restrain your behaviour when you are approaching my kids. I have volunteered to take care of these kids, so DO behave."

After the warning, the class begin.

The kids sat at the very front of the seat, facing Prof. Peter., keeping guard of Prof. Peter's small materials. Prof. Peter often called them when he needed them or if he did not use them anymore.

The classes began to have that cheerful atmosphere, and even Prof. Peter is swept in. He began getting exicted at making small scale models that he can show to his class, just to pique their interest. The class will often get up close, seeing what he meant by that model, as he carefully guided them with succint descriptions of what they represent. He never feel this excited and pleasant before this. Making all those models was something he rarely do before in his classes.

Often, the girls will eventually get bored, and they will ask Prof. Peter, "Dad, can we go to the library?", asked Buttercup. So, Prof. Peter, with all his materials, embarked to the library, with the girls in front of him.

In the library, Prof. Peter did allow them to run about, playing silent tag, and silent games, as long as they do not bother anybody reading and looking at books, while he continues on with his work.

He looked at his watch. It is 7.00 pm.

The girls are beside him, asleep, with saliva on the library desk beside his.

"Come kids, we'll go home. Wash your face, and wash off the mess on that desk.", he ordered. He supplied tissues and water from his reusable bottle. They washed their faces and wash and dry the place where the saliva was.

Thus, marks his first days with the kids. He wondered how he can even be interested doing any more education if he had continued without kids.

The End.

Scene of child drawing from Don Hertzfeldt's World of Tomorrow, and 'We're going to the (insert place name here)' from Little Nemo movie, by Tokyo Movie Shinsha. RENO, from Ron Gilbert's Thimbleweed Park. The university, including the lecture hall, is based off Universiti Teknologi MARA. Girls playing tag from The PowerPuff Girls Movie.