Welcome back, Kittens & Dawgs! This week, as you know if you’re a regular I’m a bit stretched on time due to the weekend’s events with the arrival of my first granddaughter. However, I found time to come up with a quick post for this week Mama Kat’s Writing prompt which is to write a blog post inspired by the word: dark.
When I was about 6-years old, my parents bought a house. I was excited about the new place and while the grown-ups busied themselves cleaning floors, scrubbing cabinets, moving in furniture I entertained myself going from room to room.
Had the dark veil of night hung over the sky I’d be outside playing. That’s when I noticed the broken window pane in the living room. The opening was just big enough for this little girl to project her beautiful singing voice through for all the new neighbors’ enjoyment. What did I know I was a kid?
There I was just singing and singing, and singing to my heart’s content when suddenly a gnarled hand raised in front of my face followed by a thunderous “BOO!” and my uncle’s face popping up before my eyes.
The shrill scream escaping my lips could’ve easily shattered the remaining window panes had I stayed around long enough but I skirted out of the living room crazy wild eyes and frenzied nerves. My uncle nearly died laughing at the commotion he had stirred with grandma hotly scolding him.
Ever since I’m hesitant about looking out a window at night and I get the heebie geebies if the curtains aren’t drawn at night. It’s silly I know but fear grips me not knowing what’s lurking in the shadows of the dark.
In this childhood memory, one thing I remember the most and is perhaps the reason for my excitement is we moved from a house with no indoor bathroom to a place with one. We had an outhouse. Let that soak in for a minute. Now, if you think that’s interesting then you might want to read about my last time in an outhouse another story that takes place when it’s dark.
Now, I invite you to respond to my T2Q and come on be honest with me!
- Are you afraid of the dark? Obviously, I answered this in my recollections from my childhood.
- Do you still think there are monsters under your bed? Sometimes I get scared and won’t let my feet hang over the bed because I’m afraid something is going to grab them. I have to tell myself that nothing’s there and to not give into such crazy fears. The good thing is I’m not nearly as bad about letting my fear of the dark or monsters under my bed get the better of me. I think the dust bunnies got rid of the monsters for me. lol
Please join me tomorrow for another cup of coffee and some giggles with Friday Fun Stuff! X
X, Cathy
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Loved your post! As a child, I would see witches in the corners of my bedroom. I had a recurring dream of Woody Woodpecker’s face popping out of nowhere. I do not like the dark, but thankful that I am not afraid of it. I have had a few “popping” experiences that I remember well, but nothing recent…people have become kinder as I have aged! Great post!
Liz,
I’ve always been a jumper when someone popped out on me and thankfully I don’t have to worry about people that to me these days. Sometimes DH will be in the same room as me and I don’t know it. When I turn to see him unexpectedly it makes me jump a little. lol
I swear, if this is the same uncle that scared you in the water, he really had it out for you! LOL But when I think of my brothers, I know sometimes they just can’t seem to help themselves, they’re like grown kids around their nieces and nephews! Great post and definitely a great song pick with The Boss!
Melody,
The odds are very favorable that it was the same uncle. All four of my uncles who were more like big brothers to me repeatedly did stuff like this and you’d think I’d gotten used to it but never did. lol The important thing is I survived and so did they. Grandma sure was after them for the mischief.
Scary things from childhood stay with us forever. No monsters under the bed, but some pretty scary dust bunnies
Such a scare is not a laughing matter, people have been hurt that way. Dark is very scary, it’s why i keep my phone flashlight handy.
Mimi,
Oh yeah, some people have been hurt by seemingly innocent pranks and that’s doubly scary. Thankfully, I never did and somehow my uncles never got into too much trouble for it.
Your uncle wasn’t very nice to you. Just saying.
I’m not scared of the dark and I’ve never thought there were monsters under my bed. I’m happy about that. I’ve been scared though, just not of the dark.
Have a fabulous day, honey. Love you. ♥
That face in the window would have scared me too! I am not generally afraid of the dark unless I have just watched a spooky movie or read a good mystery. Although, I don’t like taking the garbage out after dark because we get raccoons!
The great thing about being an uncle and not a parent is that you can do something like that and leave. I speak from experience…
Oh my gosh, when people pop out and scare me I swear it is not good for my heart!! That’s an uncle for you!
Good word–dark. It means so many different things from ‘can’t see’ to ‘danger’. Rationally, I’m not afraid of the dark but then my irrational takes over!
None of us like things that go bump in the night!
Hi, Cathy!
I am no longer afraid of the dark and, like you, I believe the monster under the bed is no match for the dust bunnies that dwell down there.
I enjoyed your story about your uncle startling you as you sang out the window and your grandma scolding him for it. I have a childhood memory about being afraid of the dark. Our house had a basement with a flight of stairs leading down to it. Whenever I visited the kitchen at night, I used to glance over to the top of the staircase and get an uneasy feeling, wondering what manner of creatures were lurking downstairs in the dark. I even had a recurring dream that an irresistible force sucked me across the room and down those stairs into the dark unknown.
Happy Thursday, dear friend Cathy. Does this mean you will have a Friday Sillies, too?
The answers to your questions are no and no. However, I do remember the first time my family moved to a home with hot water and a phone and an indoor convenience! Before that, we lived in a Victorian era workers cottage with a kitchen separate from the house(presumably to avoid burning the place down) and a bath in the kitchen. My mother used to heat water on the stove for our baths. We had an outdoor facility at the end of a long garden. Mum did try to scare my sister at night when she wanted to go out! When we moved, there was a pilot light you had to turn on with a match and then – hot water! However, our earlier home was next door to a nectarine orchard, in the middle of what’s now the CBD!