Dad, The Wizard of Games
My dad created the games that made a magic kingdom where I played as a child.
“Peek-boo, Peek-a boo,” I,d say with hands clasped over my eyes. Then with fingers opening, “I see you.” And whom did I see? My dad, of course. The way he loved to play games and tease me, he must’ve been a Leprechaun in his Irish background.
Dad sensed my love of words, ryme, and rhythm and taught me lots of nursery rhymes. I loved chanting, “Hichory, Dicory, Dock, the mouse ran up the clock.” and dozens of other Mother Goose rhymes that tripped off my tongue and teased my mind with their easy rhythm.
Dad also taught me the fun of silly made up rhymes. Many he created are now lost in the cluttered corners of my brain. He wrote in my autograph book:
“I love you in my heart
I love you in my liver,
If I had you in my mouth,
I’d spit you in the river.”
That land where I played as a child was enchanted because Dad, the wizard, transformed the ordinary into magic.
Dad is holding me, a few months old. Left to right: Betty 5, Mother, and Ted age 3.
Wilma Gundy
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