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, ...