Thursday, September 20, 2007

 

After Work

The Girl, her big pink teddy bear, and I are sitting on the couch in the family room.

TG: Let's play hide and seek!

DD: Okay.

TG: I know a good hiding place!

DD: Okay. I'll count! (I hide my eyes)

TG: (giggles)

DD: one...two...three...

TG: (giggles)

DD: nine..ten! (Eyes open) Ready or not, here I come!

Next to me, I spy a recumbent girl with a big pink teddy bear covering her face. Her legs are crossed and knees up, so one foot is almost in my face.

DD: (laugh out loud)

DD: I WONDER WHERE TG COULD BE?

TG: (giggles)

DD: Bear, do you know where TG is?

TG (voicing the bear): No.

DD: Hmm...Is she on the chair? Noooo....

TG: (giggles harder)

DD: I wonder whose feet these are? (Start tickling her foot.) They seem to move a lot when I tickle them...

TG: (laughing)

DD: Bear, do you know whose feet these are?

TG (triumphantly): Here I am!

DD: There you are!

TG: You silly! I was right here!

In a few years, I won't know anything, and she'll greet me with a roll of the eyes and a contemptuous “Da-a-ad.” But for now, I'm a silly Daddy who can't see a little girl behind a big pink teddy bear.

Best after-work decompression ever.


# posted by Dean Dad @ 3:38 AM
Comments:
And thus is the way it should be -- so in a few more years she can realise that, in fact, you actually did know everything all along. Absolutely beautiful post. Dean Dad, rock, rock on!
# posted by Anonymous Expatmatt : 4:05 AM
 
I know just what you mean
# posted by Blogger Anastasia : 4:56 AM
 
Amen, brother!

I love hide and seek with Simon, because he simply can't contain himself while hiding and has to thrust himself gleefully into the open mere seconds after I start looking for him. It's a fun age!
# posted by Anonymous DaniGirl : 6:07 AM
 
Your daughter is a very lucky girl.
# posted by Anonymous Ivory : 11:04 AM
 
Good God man, I do hope to meet you some day. For my part (new one year hire at a getting-its-act- together state, urban 4 year, busy finalizing syllabi for four courses, one an intro to critical theory, and in print, and on-line, and always ever so inductive, and oh then there's being clever in class) did I mention the three weeks before the start of classes hire.. Me, for my part, the lad's at the DMV getting a replacement learner's permit for the one he lost at with his wallet, and his cell phone at the party last week. The lad's (the high school senior) all "and two colleges came to, like, recruit us and stuff today, but I think that one, you know.. may be too small and stuff" And all I can notice is how many pale blonde hairs lad has stretching down the fair cheek, and how straight and strong and greek-god-looking his once button nose has become.

This was the one who played cars and trucks and plastic what-sits at my feet each night as I rinsed and dried the dishes. This is the one who spun like a top as often as he could at three when he discovered the vestibular delights of dizziness.

Pink teddy bears. Hide and seek. The DMV and the souls of all those students..... whose histories we forget to imagine. What work! What strange lands are these we till, we water, and we watch in.
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 2:51 PM
 
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