you run over to the slide and climb the ladder and slide down , then to the swing , then to the monkey bars and over to the hanging rings and the metal bar carousel and the little pirate ship and finally to the horse on the big spring which sways and tries to topple you off as you ride and hang on until ... you lose your grip and land head over heels on your back and you sit up and shake your head in a shower of sand which falls from your hair and you wipe your face and start to cry when ... ... you look over to the bench just beyond the playground where your dad sits , smiling , watching and waving , yelling your name , happy to be with you , and your tears disappear and you smile and wave back and get up and slap off the dirt and run to him with arms open wide and you jump in his arms and hug and never let go ... '' i lifted my hands from his head .