BAM!!!

As youngsters will, Mariel banged her head last week.

It was far for ER-worthy, but she did scream, cry and resist all attempt at being comforted. When she calmed down sufficiently I told her the following story.

One time, when Daddy was just your age, he and his Mommy went across the street to visit Mrs. Morton and her kids. While Mommy and Mrs. Morton had coffee, Li'l Craig scampered down to the basement to play the the Morton children.

One thing led to another and it was decided to have a race, clear across the basement, to see who was the fastest runner.

"On your mark. Get set. GO!"

I put my head down, like an Olympic sprinter, and took off at top speed across the room.

BAM!!!

I saw stars.

My head felt as if it was going to split in two.

I was screaming louder than an air raid siren.

I had run, head first, right into the cinder block basement wall!

Both Mothers came running down the stairs to see what had happened.

Finding me sitting on the floor, screaming, my Mom tried to comfort me.

"Craig!" she said. "Craig! What happened?"

"Whaaaah!" I wailed while windmilling my arms at her.

"Why are you hitting me?" she asked. "I didn't do anything to you!"

"Whaaaah!" I replied.

I eventually sprouted a big, cartoon-like lump on my head.

Mariel found this anecdote to be so funny that she stopped crying and started giggling.

In fact it has entered her repertoire of stories.

"Bam!" she'll howl between giggles. "Craig, Craig, what's wrong?"

Ah, Daddy's little girl...