Father's Day 2009

I had a really good father. I grew up thinking there was literally nothing a phone call home couldn't solve. Advice, directions, solutions, reassurance, comfort, cash... it was all there. I went through life wearing his protection like a magic cape.

One night when I was about 5 I woke up in a panic. Sheer, unadulterated terror. There was something insect-like in my bed. I heard it on my pillow, approaching my face. A hideous grinding scri-itching noise. His teeth probably. I screamed bloody murder. For my Dad. He had the best response time.

And sure enough, I didn't even have time to catch my breath before he appeared. Whimpering, I told him what happened. He turned on the light. "No, no bugs in here. No bugs anywhere, look," and he flipped the pillow and pulled back the sheets. "It must have been a bad dream. Everything is fine, go to sleep."

Okay then. I laid down. Closed my eyes. SCRI-ITCH... There it was! Louder! And closer! Right on me! "Daaaaaaad!"

Immediately he's back up the stairs for round 2 with a small child who is now sobbing hysterically. We go through the bug clearing routine a second time. Slowly, deliberately, reassuringly. He leaves a light on and departs.

I lay down. I'm exhausted and ready for this to be over. Surely this bug is gone forever.

But no... the minute I close my eyes he's back. SCRI-ITCH... "Daaaaad du du du!"

He calms me down and then he goes to work. He's serious this time, all the lights come on. He completely strips the bed. He shakes every blanket and every sheet and we inspect both sides of all of them. Ditto the pillow. He takes the mattress off the bed, he moves the bed and we inspect the floor underneath it. Then he puts it all back together. At no time does he grumble or suggest that his child is having a psychotic break.

He leaves and I lay there contemplating the diabolical nature of an insect so clever it can manage to hide from my Dad like this. Slowly, I close my eyes. SCRI-ITCH...

Wait! Close my eyes... again... SCRI-ITCH...

Uh oh. It's me. It's not giant insect teeth after all. The noise is my eyelashes brushing the starched and ironed pillowcase. It's quite surprising how much noise that can make.

Really.

And now it's all come full circle... I love observing Richard's son with his 2 small daughters. Also an exceptionally patient man, he has found the perfect balance of being a loving but firm Dad. He pushes them to try new things and then he hovers within rescue range. And of course there is nothing he wouldn't do for them either.

I take immense pleasure in the knowledge, that one day, these 2 little girls will have memories of their Dad as their hero.