Monster Tag

     It was turning out to be a humid summer already. We were swimming at the Sandpits across the highway almost every day. I enjoyed playing outside all afternoon coming in only for meals. Our house was the last one on the street. Along the side of it, there was a Never-never land of bushes we climbed through and hid in.

     Every night we played Hide n’ seek or Monster Tag with Dad. He could have been a comedian we thought, as he lurched around screeching like Godzilla. We hid, giggling as he drew close to out hiding spot. A few times he scared the next door neighbor Velma who innocently went out to check her flowers. Little did she know her neighbor was part “creature from the Black Lagoon.” Letting out a scream, she went to pieces as dad immediately apologized. Trying to explain how she had stepped into a game of Monster tag, it was, of course, all show for the kids, David 12, Mark 9. Dianne 7, and Jon 5. Later he would laugh about the incident, but he felt bad as he watched her muttering to herself as she walked away shaking her head in bewilderment. We felt so lucky, who gets a dad that can truly scare the neighbors with his King Kong roar.

  

     Home Base was always on the front steps. I usually hid in the bushes, my strategy was to listen for Dad’s first roar. If it was far away, I would dart around the side of the house to the cinder block steps. But sometimes he anticipated my regularity and would pop around that corner, tagging me as the Swamp monster. After the Monster had picked me up and tickled me, giggles would spill and childish yelps would be let out, I resigned to being caught.

    Sitting on the stairs “caught” was different than running to the steps to be called “safe.” When three of us had gathered on the steps we all waited listening to the Dad monster and wondering if Mark or David (the fastest) could make it to the base without getting caught. In these last moments, we would see amazing track and field lunging, jumping, and hurdling to get to the base before Dad could tag one of them.

    Breathing hard and happiest in life I sat on that step together with my brothers as we retold the adventures we had just experienced while playing with my Dad. He was silly and special and we all adored him.

    All stumbling in through the back door we could smell the warm meal mom had waiting for us. She loved to make chili. The famished crew came in ready to eat, after the good exercise we all had. With bowls in our hands, we all marched down the steps to the Family room to watch, “Knight Rider.”

    As the introduction music played we put down our bowls to dance around the room with our air guitars until the music ended. Then we sat mesmerized by David Hasselhoff, a high tech modern crime fighter with awesome hair. We loved his side kick KITT the artificially intelligent, invincible black car with the pulsating red light on the front end. Settling into the threadbare furniture we were fixated.

     I smiled as I won the seat next to dad on the couch. Looking up at him, he was handsome I thought. I shared his dark hair and eyes. His dark mustache pronounced his cleft chin and great smile. My favorite feature was that smile directed toward me, filled with his love.

    Exactly at 8:00PM Mom would call us up to bed, as the credits rolled for the show. In my room, I tried to steal a few moments with my Barbies, to continue the saga from earlier that day. Peaches and Cream Barbie was taking Ken to the Bahamas on a surprise get away for their first Anniversary.

“Dianne, get in bed!” Dad would call from the open doorway.

      So I abandoned the Barbies and scampered to bed. He peeked at me through the doorway with his “mouse” face. As I laughed, he came in to sit on my bed. He was like the jolly green giant, so tall yet so full of silly love. After making me giggle, he finally tucked me in and kissed me good night. I shut my eyes with a smile gently resting on my lips, I slipped into restful sleep. Ready for another summer day full of fun, the outdoors, and my family.