I do vaguely remember you having a T-shirt that said, “Daddy’s Little Girl”, but I don’t remember the circumstances.  I don’t remember if it was a birthday gift or what, but I do remember the shirt. It expressed my sentiments very well, especially the special place you have in my esteem.  You were about seven or eight years old.

As far as curling up on the couch, yes, we used to watch TV and you would curl up in my legs.  Your brother used to do the same thing, but he got too big for it.

There are a couple of other memories I have from when you were little.  We used to go out in the backyard.  We had a garden and grape vines that we had planted.  I remember playing with you on a spring day.  I’d lie in the grass and hold you up on my knees and hands and play with you and you’d laugh.  You were about three or four years old at the time.

Later, at the time of the divorce, I was staying with your grandma and you visited me in Detroit.  We went to see the Nutcracker ballet.  It was a very good production, I thought.  Afterward we went to the Renaissance Center on top of… I think it was the Westin Hotel at that time.  The whole floor of the restaurant rotated so you could look at the river.  It was a spectacular view.  You ordered lobster.  You asked, “Dad, can I order lobster?”  I said, “Yeah, but don’t fill up on the salad and bread.”  Of course all the starters came and you ate them, and we had to take the lobster home.

Another memory I have is not one instance but an ongoing thing.  You used to like to go upstairs in the room over the kitchen.  We had the master bedroom and the two bedrooms, but that room over the kitchen was where you guys played.  From about kindergarten onward, you’d be up in that room, the playroom, and you would work on art projects.  You’d spread out your supplies all over the tiles, asphalt tiles, not the other kind.  You’d get out pencils, markers, paint and work on art projects.  You were always working on art projects from an early age.  You’d say, “I’m going to be an artist. I’m going to be an artist.”  You were always working on art projects.

Oh, yeah, I’m sure you’re right I probably did show you how to draw a rabbit.  I don’t know how old you were, but you might have been 3 or so.  That’s probably right, I’m no artist but I could do simple line drawings and silhouettes.  I don’t remember you having an imaginary bunny, but I remember Seeny and Gock.  You talked about them all the time, your imaginary friends.

No, I don’t remember specifically showing you how to draw a bunny.  But you drew all the time, it was clear that the major thing in your life was art.