The plank of wood waits, under the dust of it’s brothers, waiting, dust glittering the air, the hum of the sander, a little girl picks it up, decorates it with crayon. It still hangs over the door.
“C’mon; get ‘im!”
Tin foil sword swishing, and he backs up, feigns fear and all kinds of surrender.
Bright blue eyes are narrowed, a bright grin in place as his son backs him closer to the edge of the slide.
“Walk the plank, Dad.”
“Kiddo-” he pleads, and the kid shakes his head, tries to poke the sword higher into his chest; it barely reaches.
“Don’t ask for mercy, Old Man!”
“Your own father…”
“No; don’t listen to him!”
He catches a flash of plaid before he feels a thump, taking a tackle from his nephew before he ultimately lands three feet down, woodchips digging into his back.
When he hides the pain with a dramatic groan, he’s relieved to hear two equally delighted sets of giggles.
The plank of wood waits, under the dust of it’s brothers, waiting, dust glittering the air, the hum of the sander, a little girl picks it up, decorates it with crayon. It still hangs over the door.
“C’mon; get ‘im!”
Tin foil sword swishing, and he backs up, feigns fear and all kinds of surrender.
Bright blue eyes are narrowed, a bright grin in place as his son backs him closer to the edge of the slide.
“Walk the plank, Dad.”
“Kiddo-” he pleads, and the kid shakes his head, tries to poke the sword higher into his chest; it barely reaches.
“Don’t ask for mercy, Old Man!”
“Your own father…”
“No; don’t listen to him!”
He catches a flash of plaid before he feels a thump, taking a tackle from his nephew before he ultimately lands three feet down, woodchips digging into his back.
When he hides the pain with a dramatic groan, he’s relieved to hear two equally delighted sets of giggles.
This creek flows swift. Quick. And dangerous it looks. The little sounds of the water hitting the rocks multiplies.
I want to cross this.
I look at the long wooden plank next to me. Should I trust it?
And I do.
And as I stand on the other side of the shore, I look back. And that flat wood is where I have first saw it.
Maybe I never needed it all along.