PUPPETS ARE SCARY

When I was a little kid I went to a birthday party at a theme park, can't remember which one, but there was a puppet show and it scared me to death. Perhaps it was my active imagination or my tendency to anthorpomorphize everything - even rocks, but I imagined that the puppets had secret lives and would animate when the puppet master wasn't around. I imagined their puppet thoughts and it frightened me and made me cry. I had to be taken outside to calm down.

One Sunday I was watching Chiller - horror movies that came on about 3pm on channel 5 - and there was a movie that featured an evil puppet like doll that came to life and stabbed people with a little tiny knife with a malicious, feral grin on it's little puppet face. In one scene it's walking across the living room, stalking the little girl who lives in the house who is sleep walking. And I'm huddled in the corner of the couch, clutching a pillow, barely able to breathe, whispering "wake up! wake up and run!!" I was so scared I started to cry. I was so frightened that I couldn't get up to turn off the TV - I didn't want to go near the TV!! So I called my mom and she turned it off and I wasn't allowed to watch Chiller anymore.

This past Sunday I went to Alexander's first birthday party. There were a lot of people there and a cowboy was entertaining the kids when I arrived. The food was great. Alexander was looking so cute in his little man spring outfit. All the kids were getting along well and having a blast. And then it was time for the puppet show. My friend Sally had found an amazing puppeteer who makes his own puppets and puts on a really great show.

As he brought out the first puppet and started doing his thing, I could feel myself getting freaked out! I had to go sit down where I couldn't see!! I tried to talk myself down and went back to watch some more. I was okay if I watched his hands and not the puppet, but if I focused on the puppets I'd get freaked out again. I finally gave up because I didn't want to have bad dreams.

It wasn't just me either. Ocelli, my goddaugher, who is almost three was scared by the puppets but hung in there as long as she could sit in her mom's lap.

Puppets are scary!