Da and I were bound first to the Isle of Mann I do not remember much of the cause of our needing to go there,but I do remember the need to see a Da's brother. His name was Seamus and he had settled on the Isle to raise a family with a woman who's family had large holdings there.Seamus was like a grand huge monster to me then.The first time I saw him he fairly blocked out the sun with his mane of golden hair.I remember thinking to myself the his hair was the color that a fire turns just befor the coals swallow the last bit of flame.He was big and frightening and loud,with hands I could nearly swim in.
I had just awoken from a nap and there he was all golden and roaring out his delight at seeing his brother's child,not to mention his brother as well. He reached for me to scoop me up into one of those all enveloping hugs that I later came to adore getting from him,but at the time knew nothing of.I was terrified!I had never seen anyone but Da so big,and he did not roar so loudly or seem so frightening and strange.So, I did what any irish daughter would do when confronted with unreasoning fear....I clubbed him between the eyes hard enough to blood his nose for him with my tiny fist, and set up a wail to wake the dead from their peace.
And do you know what my huge monster of an uncle did?He laughed.Loud and hard as did my father who mysteriously appeared behind him.In my terror I had not seen him enter behind my uncle. To this day my father still reminds me of my battery of my dear uncle Seamus and the both laugh at the incident.
"I did warn ye Seamus,and even if I hadn't ,she is still my child and ye should've known ye shouldn't sneak up on her."My da laughed. "and you my darling little vixen should have a kinder greeting for your Uncle Seamus.After all ,We have come all this way to see him.
