Childhood and bogeymen

When I was small I shared a room with my sister, Sue.
She slept by the window while I was next to the door. I
was happy with the arrangement because I was terrified
that Guy the Gorilla was going to escape from London
Zoo and climb through the window. While he ate up my
unfortunate sister I would get away down the stairs! Even
though I knew this was an irrational fear (why on earth
would Guy come to our ordinary house in the suburbs?),
knowing it was silly made no difference. Years later when
I told Sue my selfish reasons for sleeping near the door
she was able to sympathize. She confessed guiltily that
for years she had a similar belief that an escaped lion was
going to come up the stairs. He would have me for supper
while she got away through the window! Sadly, Guy, the
bogeyman of my childhood, passed away many years ago.
He was a harmless vegetarian who, had he come to my
home, would have only attacked the fruit bowl.