Julia Rabinovich
Reflective Essay
March 27, 2013
Ready Or Not, Here I Come
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” –Leo Buscaglia
I run through the backyard, looking frantically for a place to hide. I hear my dad’s voice in the distance yelling “eight, nine, ten; ready or not, here I come!” I scramble under the deck. Oh god when was the last time my dad cleaned under here. The smell of mulch and dirt fills my nostrils. Dead flowers lay all over the ground. I move the over and clear a spot for me to lie. The deck is rather short so I have to stay close to the ground. I watch as the ants crawl back and forth, never stopping. I sort of go into a daze just watching them, until I am startled by my father’s footsteps. “Wow, you’re good aren’t you, I’ve searched the entire front yard!” My dad yells from the distance.
I cover my mouth to refrain from laughing and giving away my marvelous spot. I watch his feet as they pass the deck. I really got him this time I think. I hear his footsteps drift off into the distance. More time to spare I guess. I go back to watching the ants; they really intrigued me for some reason. My eyelids start to get heavy and I feel myself falling asleep. Why not? I think. It’s going to be a while before my dad finds me in a spot like this. I lay my head on my forearm and snooze.
I guess I’m a heavier sleeper that I thought. I was awakened by a police officer yelling, “I found her, I found her!”
Who did they find?
What did I miss?
I crawl out from under the deck and an oddly tall man is
