A Little Touch of Magic

The writer once imagined a typewriter that could make what it typed happen. A line he wrote in 1987 about rainbows and roses in Dallas somehow came true, though not exactly as pictured. The story centers on a baby girl born in 1987 after her mother’s emergency surgery because of severe high blood pressure. The hospital where the birth took place had no special care unit, so a small team from Fresno flew in to help. The mother was not allowed to be awake for the delivery, and both she and the baby needed extra care right after birth. The father’s fear grew while waiting for a doctor to confirm the baby was alive. The doctor later said the girl was “a real fighter. ” She weighed just 2 pounds, 6 ounces and was very fragile. The hospital’s team had to move her quickly in a mobile incubator to an airport for a flight to Fresno, where better care could be given.During the transfer, a nurse stopped in the hallway and let the father touch his daughter for the first time. The doctor explained that skin‑to‑skin contact was important, but the mother’s condition and the team’s gloves made it hard. The nurse warned that this could be the only chance for a real touch. The father slipped his hand into the protective case and felt warmth on his daughter’s skin. He remembers it as a magical moment that changed everything for him and the baby. Today, 39 years later, the girl is almost six feet tall, healthy, and active. She runs, hikes, has a family of her own, and celebrates birthdays with joy. The writer credits that early typewriter line for bringing a little extra luck into their lives.