Hide and Seek

Whenever our cousins would come up to the ranch, Suzanne and I would be either over the moon happy to get to play with those three fun, rowdy boys or storm cloud sullen because we had to share. These moods alternated from whence til when depending on various factors, the most fluid of which was our individual blood sugar levels.

During the course of one such visit, all of us kids got into a game of hide and seek. In my memory we counted to sixty (I was the youngest and was always amazed at how fast and how far the older kids could count so it was probably to ten).

Gary was it this time and we all scattered like dandelion seeds on a fervent wish as he counted down. When he found me I couldn't believe it. I could hear him saying I see you Jay, but I couldn't see him. I was convinced that if I couldn’t see him he couldn't see me.

We argued and people were laughing and I was adamant that if I couldnt’t see him, he couldn't see me. Then, finally……

I opened my eyes.

And there we were standing in the middle of the hall, Gary's hands on my little shoulders, Suzanne, Curtis and Cody rolling on the ground laughing and me realizing that what I saw wasn't the same as what other people saw.

Thank you Gary, for opening my eyes.

-Dirtyintel 6/2020