In my other life, long ago and not so far away, I created, wrote and illustrated a flock of children’s books. They stayed in my files for years with small efforts at publishing before focusing on other projects. One such book was entitled Trouble with Dribbles. The tale followed toddlers and how they managed to trip or fall when nothing seemed to be in the way except their fast pace, lack of attention and, the inevitable Dribbles. I invented a tiny creature who lurks in the floor, on carpets, stairs, the backyard, parks and on hikes, in the yard. Luckily my boys rarely got terribly hurt but it always seemed to be because of the “Dribbles.” lurking to upset their path as they played, climbing into or out of a laundry basket or big box, walking across a room, scrambling to grab a toy from a sibling or friend, on a carpet, on the floor, in the yard; Dribbles were everywhere or so it seemed.
My image of these tiny Dribbles came in a variety of dark or earthy colors, squishy looking bugs with big heads, spiky hairs and wiry legs and the desire to wreak damage to little kids. Perhaps they enjoyed the sounds of sobbing and hearing the parents comforting words of “you’re OK,” wiping tears and placing ice packs on the Boo Boos. The Dribbles moved on as the boys got older and we stopped blaming these creatures and dealt with the other dangers that loomed large. Dribbles must plague the adult world as well. How often do we trip or fall when there is no apparent reason, or our fingers suddenly let go of items we have picked up and there they are, pens, pencils, foods, tools, devices, on the floor, sometimes no place to be found. After many falls in the last decade or two I now practice keeping a watchful eye on where I am walking, stop fussing with my purse, grocery bags, or what not as I approach my destination but looking for dangerous curb stones, rough walkways, spikes or raised roots in the ground. So, take care as you go and don’t bother to look for these critters, they are very small and crafty and will fool you every time.