Dead explained for dummies and toddlers
I have been pestered by insomnia since my father passed away. Surreality wakes up at 1:00 am, and Reinaldo Arenas “Hallucinations” (El Mundo Alucinante) is not a good pillow companion. The next day I feel like shit.
Also, I have been convalescent on a bed. I was recovering from a sinus surgery when I blew so much that I ended in an ambulance after I lost a half liter of blood. For stop the bleeding, the put a balloon in my nose. When they took it, I caught a virus that ended in infection, bronchitis, and asthma.
So it had been hard for me to limit Max’ Ipad time. For my little kid, the last weeks have been an opportunity to binge in Ninjago Lego at Netflix while eats ice popsicles and popcorn. I do not have the energy to police time-outs while I cry.
Because I cried, not all the time, only in certain moments. Like the fist time when my kid sang the bogus song in Spanish, from Luis Pescetti. The memory of my wild father teaching me that impertinent lyric for the sake to tease my mother, made me blow my nose.
“Mami, why are you crying?”, ask Max while giving me a hug. I explained that he grandpa Bruno died, but of course, he did not grasp the concept. “Like when lord Garmadon when it is killed by Llyord?” Something like that, I answer, without much care.
“So, can I use the Ipad?”
“No, you can no use it until you finish your dinner”
“Please, please, please”
“I said no. Begging won’t do any difference.”
“I hate you! I will kill you! I will cut you with my nunchakus!”
"Basta! Don’t talk about dead like that!”
So that it was my wake up call. It was time to explain in detail the reason of my grievance. When somebody passed away, mean he won’t be with you anymore, I said. “Some people like me believes in the existence of the soul”, the subtleties about the final destination changes according to religions. (Disclosure: I am an not practicing Catholic).What is true and verified it is that the body returned to the land and transformed on “food for trees and plants”, I finish.
Max began to weep. “Mom, I don’t want that you become plant’s food! Never leave me!”. I have to do a promise to advert children nightmares. The abyss of maternal absence is the worst “coco”.*
* “Coco” is a mythical ghost-monster, equivalent to the bogeyman,