"You have geen eyes....you have yellow eyes...Close your eyes!....Open your eyes!!!! You have GEEN eyes!!!"
"Oh no," my sister, Linda, said when I spoke those words. "Do you remember that game?"
Those words are some of my first memories. I remember sitting on my dad's lap, facing him, and saying those words. I figured it was a little game we played that he so kindly tolerated. It never made any sense to me though....he had hazel eyes...and why would I say yellow eyes?
Now Linda was about to solve this mystery for me. She, being two and a half years older, was able to fill in the holes of this story. (It's great having an older sister with such a good memory.)
My mother worked at a small boutique a couple evenings a week. She was in her element there, helping women pick the right dress for a gala and spending all the money she earned buying clothing for herself or her two little girls. My memories of this are fuzzy. I do know that my dad would drive her there and pick her up, since she did not drive. (at that time...but that is a whole other Maxine story...getting her driver's license) Of course, Linda and I would go with my dad as we were too young to stay at home. I remember stopping at a nearby ice cream parlor...so those trips to take and pick up my mom were fun.
When we would go pick up my mom, it was usually dark. Sometimes we'd get there early, or sometimes she would be with a customer and would be late. That is where this little game was invented. Linda said that there was a flashing neon sign nearby. (I am not sure what it was advertising....maybe Linda remembers.) It was flashing yellow and then green...yellow and then green. The light would reflect from my dad's eyes.
Linda said that she got so tired of listening to me play this game, but my dad patiently opened and closed his eyes, entertaining his two year old daughter.
"You have geen eyes....you have yellow eyes...Close your eyes!...Open your eyes!! You have GEEN eyes!" Such a simple way to pass the time and show love for your daughter.
Thank you, Linda, (the best sister in the world) for making this story complete for me.
A reminder of how simple it can be to entertain children with no cost. Your dad sounds special, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to have a memory holder who can clear up confusions from the past.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great memory!
ReplyDeleteMemories can be fuzzy, so how wonderful that you have an older sister to fill in some of the wonders. I have played many a silly games like this with my daughters to help pass the time when needed. A simple little game, but a sweet moment with your father.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing and thank you for your comment. Comments matter!
Your story triggered a memory for me. We used to wait for my mom to get off work at W.T. Grants. She drove, but we only had one car. Dad would drum his fingers on the roof of the car. I loved that sound, it always seemed like a battalion was marching on the roof.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment on my post. Family memories and stories are the best.
I love this story. It reminded me of the game Red Light/Green Light that my brothers and I would play. So fun!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of writing about first memories. I think I'm going to do that tomorrow. Thank you---starting to feel the weight of thirty days of writing now and grappling for ideas. This was inspiring!
ReplyDeleteIf some one wants expert view on the topic of blogging then i advise
ReplyDeletehim/her to pay a visit this web site, Keep up the good job.
Here is my weblog :: acai ultra lean diet