I could sit there for hours on end, catching elves. Surrounded by computer cables and wires, an assortment of keyboards, monitors, mice and hard drives, I delighted at immersing myself in Daddy’s world, tucking myself away in the basement at every opportunity.
For most parents, sitting their child in front of the TV or computer represents a well-earned break from the fatigue of parenting - a moment of solace where they can sip a glass of wine or simply take in the sunset without screams and shrills, the sound of blocks tumbling against the hardwood floor or a cat being pulled by its tail.
My father, however, knowingly welcomed interruptions. Just as he had expected me to solve the 24 piece puzzle he gifted me on my two-week birthday, he willed me to become a certified "Treasure Mountain" elf-catching expert by age three. Determined not to let him down, my nets would catch one, then two, then three four five elves... With each solid catch, a written clue revealed. The sole
problem being... I didn’t know how to read.
“ELF!!!!!!!” I would shout, impatiently, fidgeting as I waited for Daddy to descend the basement stairs and interpret the characters on the screen. My elves would sit in my net squirming, ready to escape at any second. The game required his help, and I never felt so distressed as when an Elf found itself in my net during his absence.
Mommy tried to help me, when he was gone. She would hear my excited cries and begin making her way down the stairs. Standing above me, she would lean over slightly and pretend to read whatever was written on that obnoxiously heavy 1990s monitor. Though in desperate situations I would take her word and try her answer, most days I would simply roll my eyes, quit and save the game until he got home. Didn’t she realize only Daddy knew how to read computers?
I have to admit that sometimes, when I’m a little lost in the treasure mountain that is Silicon Valley, I still wonder that if by shouting “ELF”, he somehow might appear...
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Happy Father’s Day, Daddy. I love you!
For most parents, sitting their child in front of the TV or computer represents a well-earned break from the fatigue of parenting - a moment of solace where they can sip a glass of wine or simply take in the sunset without screams and shrills, the sound of blocks tumbling against the hardwood floor or a cat being pulled by its tail.
My father, however, knowingly welcomed interruptions. Just as he had expected me to solve the 24 piece puzzle he gifted me on my two-week birthday, he willed me to become a certified "Treasure Mountain" elf-catching expert by age three. Determined not to let him down, my nets would catch one, then two, then three four five elves... With each solid catch, a written clue revealed. The sole
“ELF!!!!!!!” I would shout, impatiently, fidgeting as I waited for Daddy to descend the basement stairs and interpret the characters on the screen. My elves would sit in my net squirming, ready to escape at any second. The game required his help, and I never felt so distressed as when an Elf found itself in my net during his absence.
Mommy tried to help me, when he was gone. She would hear my excited cries and begin making her way down the stairs. Standing above me, she would lean over slightly and pretend to read whatever was written on that obnoxiously heavy 1990s monitor. Though in desperate situations I would take her word and try her answer, most days I would simply roll my eyes, quit and save the game until he got home. Didn’t she realize only Daddy knew how to read computers?
I have to admit that sometimes, when I’m a little lost in the treasure mountain that is Silicon Valley, I still wonder that if by shouting “ELF”, he somehow might appear...
****************************
Happy Father’s Day, Daddy. I love you!
I LOVE TREASURE MOUNTAIN!!! Oh, and Gizmos & Gadgets, Midnight Rescue (where I first heard The Sorcerer's Apprentice and In the Hall of the Mountain King), Challenge of the Ancient Empires, and Operation Neptune.
My father, too, inspired me to learn as much as possible. Fathers are wonderful.
Posted by: Charlie (WL) | July 10, 2010 at 10:53 PM