The Man

‘The Man’ as the 4 year old affectionately calls him visits when she has a high temperature and always in the middle of the night. He hasn’t visited in over 6 months now, but normally she summons me betwixt the hours of midnight and 4am from her sweaty bed, points over my shoulder and simply says ‘The Man’ in her Calpol breath. I, turn around, see nothing and scared shitless return (scurry) to my own bed. I then tell the husband that he will have to go to her if she calls again. In the light of day I sensibly put her visions down to not giving her enough Calpol the previous night.

Last night the 2 year old was playing up after I’d put him to bed. I went into his room and told him it was definitely time to be going to sleep and stop throwing his rugby ball across the room. He pointed over my shoulder into the darkness and just said ‘Man’.

Today he was out on his bike, on his own, in the garden and my husband heard him say 'No Man'.

Now, is it just coincidence that they both see ‘The Man’? Are my children conspiring to have me committed to an institution for the terminally bewildered or was the 2 year old really playing rugby with ‘The Man’ last night and riding pillion with him in the garden today?