My Childhood Fear of Grandma's Rocking Chair, aka, THE GOTCHA.

What follows is an email I sent to my mother of one of my greatest childhood fears.

Try not to laugh.

- JJB

Mom,

Below is a computer illustration of my most feared childhood boogeyman:  

THE GOTCHA.

Grandma’s rocking chair used to scare me when I saw it at night with the lights out.  I thought it was giving me this evil grin.  Almost every night as a child, I would have a nightmare where I was in this stark environment like an abandoned playground.  Then I would see this rocking chair run from one hiding place to another.  He would say, “I’m gonna getcha… I’m gonna getcha… I’m gonna getcha…”

Then, after a long, pregnant pause, he would leap out in front of me and yell…

I GOTCHA!!!

Next, I would see this collage of newspaper clippings and fireworks and car chases.  

I would wake up SCREAMING and startle you.  I’d say, “Mom!  It’s The Gotcha!  IT’S THE GOTCHA!!! ”

I was scared stiff of that rocking chair, aka, The Gotcha.  Over time, however, I outgrew my fear and the rocking chair no longer scared me.  I look back at this period in my life with amusement.  “What’s so scary about a rocking chair?” I ask myself.

But he still might be out there, lurking in the shadows…

THE GOTCHA.