I stood against the wall, as tall as I could stand. My dad stood by with a pencil in his hand.
The bones in my back ached as I stretched them as far apart as they would go. Taller! Taller! He closed one eye and drew the line just so.
“My, what a tall girl you’re getting to be.” He stepped back a pace and smiled down at me.
“Tall enough? I asked. “Tall enough for the roller coaster? Tall enough for the Spider? Tall enough for the upside down, through the chute, Brain Toaster?”
He smiled a sad smile and shook his head ‘no’. I sighed and frowned. I so wanted to go.
“Big rides next season.” And then he hugged me for no reason.
So we went of the Ferris Wheel and on the small boats, on the steam train and to pet the soft, furry goats.
But I could feel the ground shake from the roller coaster, and hear the kids scream on the upside down, through the chute, Brain Toaster.
Autumn leaves fell on the lawn, snow came when summer was gone. I ate and I grew, I think a size or two. When summer came back and I stood by the wall, I knew I would make it, once and for all. The wall with the lines that showed all of my growing, would hold one final line to show I’d be going.
The leaves were new on the trees. Warm air again, and flowers full of bees. The big rides were waiting, their lights filled the night. I tried to walk with my dad, but my feet were too light.
So we rode the roller coaster and the Spider and the upside down, through the chute, Brain Toaster. I laughed and I screamed into the late at night. My hair went up and I went down and around out of sight.
I left my stomach up there somewhere above the rails, floating with the stars. It caught up with me at the end with a scream of wheels and a last jerk of the cars.
I laughed and wobbled down the stairs under the trees and said, “I’d like to ride the small boats next, if you please.”
It was then that I saw it, posted low on the wall. I could not ride the boats anymore, I was too tall! A tear formed in the corner of my eye. I sat on a bench with my dad and let out a big sigh.
“You’re just the right size God wants you to be. And just the right size for your mother and me. Every year you will grow, even when you’re forty or so. That will be the right size too. If anyone says otherwise, they haven’t a clue. Life is like one big roller coaster. Just the same as the upside down, through the chute, Brain Toaster. Some good things will come, and some good things may go, but the love that we share is always right here, just so.”
He put his hand over my heart and I took his hand in mine. The ground thundered; who cared about that old sign!
We rode the big rides, my dad and me. And when we left, it was a quarter of three.
The stars were out and the moon rode the dark sea. I slept and I dreamed of the future and me.
Illustrated version at : https://imgur.com/gallery/7ROlxnV
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