Family (s)nap

So I was on the way to university after work when this tiny boy in his school uniform, wearing the traditional Malay cap and carrying a school bag that probably weighed twice as much as him, boarded the train and sat down next to me. The poor chap looked really tired and soon dozed off.

By about two stations, his head was slumped on my shoulder. Now usually, I'd send a head that deposits itself on my shoulder in the train flying in the other direction towards the person on the other side of the head in question, who is probably ready to push his elbow through the sleeping guy's skull. I was startled at first, but the poor little kid looked so tired and innocent, I let him continue his nap. I could feel his fatigue. After all, I was headed to attend a 3-hour lecture after a day that had spanned across 6 am to 6 pm. I myself could do with a shoulder on the train. Once in a while, we could all use a shoulder on the train. A familiar one, hopefully.

The train chugged on. He napped on. I think I even sang a mental lori (lullaby) for him.

Two more stations later, I suddenly realised that the couple sitting directly in front of me was giving us very amused looks and even having a discussion in whispers. I was pretty sure they thought the boy was my son. He was too tiny to be my brother. And I have been told more than thrice that I can pull off a Malay look. So I guess to them it looked like a nice mother and child picture - like a family snap.

Now when you're in a train that's gonna travel through 19 train stations before dropping you at your destination, you can get really bored. So I decided to play a little game with myself and try to guess what the couple was discussing about the kid and me.

"Awwww..."
"Poor kid... would you look at the size of his school bag?"
"She has a university lecture pad too... maybe she's a teacher?"
"Darn I wish I was the father of the boy..." (Okay maybe this was a bit too much...:P)
"Or a student? Looks quite young..."
"Yeah, too young to be his mother actually... unless she's maintained herself well..."
"Could be a single mother eh...?"
"Hmmm... Malay boy... but she looks kinda Indian... don't you think?"
"Maybe she married a Malay guy..."
"Or maybe she's the stepmother...?"

I looked at them. They smiled at me and then at the boy's peaceful face, deep in slumber.

I smiled back at them, trying not to move too much.

My son was sleeping, you see, and I didn't wanna wake him up. Shhhhh...