The Monster Under The Bed...

Was Me!

I distinctly remember, when I was 5, being scared to get out of bed at night, because I thought and alligator was under there. I have no idea why I thought that, but just chalk it up to the trials and tribulations of growing up in Louisiana.

But, when we were growing up, Big Sis had a bed that was kinda high off the ground.

And for a long time, I was just the right size and could slide right under there.

So if I was in the house, and saw her and a friend coming in, I would somtimes run to her room and hide under her bed.

I would wait there for:
-- Them to come in,
-- start a record on the record player (WAY before CDs here, folks)
-- and start talking.

I distinctly remember how delicious the thought of the fright I was about to give them was. It was an actual feeling; my whole body would tingle.

When I couldn't take it any more, I would reach out and grab an ankle of each girl and yell.

Man! The screaming! The anger. The laughter (me).

It always took me a couple of minutes to stop laughing enough to get out from under the bed. Big Sis yelling at me the whole time.

Now that I think of it, I wonder why she didn't kick me or hit me with something when I was only half way out and vulnerable. I guess she was either too nice, or a dummy.

The only down side was having my ears assaulted by having to listen to the Osmond Brothers or Bobby Sherman while I waited under the bed to make my move ;)

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But I do remember one time, trying to run into Big Sis's room but realizing that I didn't have time to get down and under the bed.

So I just hid behind her door.

But she had seen me, and walked into her room as if she hadn't, but when she walked past the door I was hiding behind, she jumped against the door and squished me good there for for a couple of minutes 'til I was screaming for mercy.

Good one Sis.

But I have always been pretty patient.

I would just wait a few months until her guard was down and do the under the bed fright thing all over again.

---

Years later, when my daughters were little, we would sometimes play hide and seek in the house, if it was raining or something.

The games were fast, because hey, I'm a moose and there were only about three places with room enough for me to hide inside the house.

In a closet. Behind either shower curtain in a bath tub. Or lay down on the floor on the other side of mine and Lovely Wife's bed.

But you know what?

When I was hiding from them, and I could hear them narrowing down my possible hiding places, I WOULD GET THAT SAME EXACT TINGLING OF ANTICIPATION I did as a kid waiting to scare the snot out of Big Sis and whichever friend made the mistake of coming to visit.

We had to play hide and seek over and over.

They never tired of it.

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Good Times. Good Times.