Hide and Seek

"WHERE did that girl get to?" Dad wonders having only left the play area for a moment and not finding her immediately upon his return. She could not have gone far, while she is quick, she is not superhuman. Never-the-less, she was not readily visible from his vantage when he performed his well being check so he had to abandon his task and investigate further to find her.

Panic, followed by visions of worst-case-scenarios, and repetitions of self assurance quickly followed. There are stairs; they could fall; he has blocked them, but has he done so effectively?

Several steps into the play area and he thought, "It figures," having heard a chirp from an odd location.

Hiding like a sniper in the shadow of cover, she was not easy to see. Above, the flash illuminates her face but without it, she was barely visible.

Dad squats down to confront her. Acting as if nothing were amiss, she came down from her hidey-hole feigning concern for Dad's brief worry.

He expects this routine will play itself out over and over again many times in the coming years.