Hidden Motives?

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I recently had cataract surgery. One result (aside from my being able to see waaaayyyy better!) was that I had to avoid any strenuous activity for a couple of weeks -- bending over, heavy lifting, or anything else that could increase my blood pressure and/or the pressure in my eye was verboten. Being somewhat phobic about losing an eye, I was a good boy and avoided doing anything counter to that advice. (And my house still shows the effects of my not being able to pick stuff off the floor, lift heavy bundles, or lug the vacuum up & down the stairs... but I digress.)

The Pipsqueak somehow got a slightly confused version of what was going on, so at first she thought I hurt my nose. I explained that my nose was alright but that I had a small problem with one of my eyes that a doctor fixed for me, but that I couldn't pick her up & swing her around in the air as usual for a while until it was all better; she replied that it was okay and gave me a hug(!). Every time we got together after that (sometimes two or three times in an evening), Miri would ask, "Uncle Brian, are your eye and nose getting better yet?"

Each time she asked, I'd thank her for worrying about it and reassure her that my eye was indeed getting better, but that it would take just a few days more to be all better again. Miri would usually tell me that was good and she was glad I was getting better, and we'd leave it at that. I have to admit I was doing a little kvelling at how my not-yet-four niece was expressing such concern for my well-being.

Fast forward to this past weekend, and the Pipsqueak again asked if my eye and nose (sigh) were getting better. Since the doctor had given me a thumbs-up on getting back to what passes for "normal" in my life, I gave Miri a big smile and told her that I was all better now, I was just waiting for my new glasses to be ready at the store.

"All better? Really?"

"Yes, Hon, my eye is aaaallll better now!"

"Yay! Now you can swing me!"

I happily obliged, and somewhere between the 3rd and 4th "oof!" (the Pipsqueak is a lot less pipsqueakish than she used to be!) it occurred to me that my niece's great concern for her jiu jiu's ocular health might just have had a somewhat different basis than I had been thinking...

...but to be honest, I didn't really mind. (And despite the lack of practice, I could still toss her high enough in the air to take her breath away.)