She toddled around a bit at the base of the playscape, looking up at her father who was looking down at her. It didn’t seem as if she had been there before.
Other older kids were running and biking and laughing and screaming all around her. She turned away from her father to watch them. Her mom came walking slowly up to her and grabbed her gently under her arms and handed her up to her dad who reached down from the top of the playscape.
He had a wide smile on her face. Her face was uncertain. He held her hands and had her walk over to the top of the slide. She had other ideas. He had to coax her along.
An older girl was sitting at the top of the slide waiting her turn. Then in an instant she was gone, into the plastic tunnel, down the spiraling slide.
The dad coaxed his little girl to the slide, picking her up slightly so he could swing her into a sitting position. And then he let go of her.
They were far enough away and the general din of the playground was sufficient to drown out whatever it was that he said to her. He patted her on the back. He pushed her a little bit closer to the edge. He whispered in her ear. He pushed her once more. And then she too was gone, into the plastic tunnel, and … and … and there she was coming out of the tunnel, rounding a turn lying on her back with her hands and legs waving a little bit hither and yon.
She came to a stop before she reached the bottom.
She sat up with a startled look on her face. Her mom kept her distance. And the little girl looked back around the spiraling turn and into the tunnel and then she looked out at the kids around her and then back again into the tunnel. And then beaming smile exploded across her face, and her eyes lit up. She waved her arms in the air, and she kicked her feet.
And at that moment, in spite the general din of the playground I could clearly hear her scream with glee ready … so ready … to try it for the second time.