today i lost a kid
At Island Park.
One minute he was there, the next he wasn't. Ange and I (along with our collective eight kids) were visiting at a picnic table. Every couple of minutes we'd count the kids again, especially if we couldn't see them. They love to go around structures and hide in nooks and crannies where they can't be seen. Then we take a walk to make sure they're all in the sand. They know they aren't to leave the sandy area.
We checked our troop again. No Tennyson. His favorite play structure is the furthest one from where we were sitting - the old one with the metal slide. I headed over there, chatting to the other kids as I walked by. No Tennyson. I did a loop around the play ground. Still no Tennyson. I went around again to make sure I hadn't missed him. I hadn't. I looked beyond the sandy area into the grass, trees, road. Nothing.
Has something like this ever happened to you? It's awful.
My first thought was the lake. I hoped to heck he hadn't headed for the lake. He'd never crossed the road before, but I wanted to rule that out first. I crossed the road hoping I wouldn't see his little body floating in the water. I stood on the rock wall. I didn't see him. I ran back to the play structures, calling his name. By now a few other people were looking concerned and asked who I was looking for. I told them a small blond boy with an orange striped shirt and plaid shorts. I ran into the women's washroom and checked the stalls. Nothing. How could I have lost my baby? I imagined having to call Steven at work and tell him that I lost his son. I rounded the corner to the men's washroom door, and there he was - squishing berries with a stick.
I snatched him up and squeezed him so tightly and lectured him on not being able to see him and scaring mommy. He told me he was sorry, and that he didn't want to be lost. I don't think it had occurred to him that he was lost until then.
What a stinker. It was all of a 15 second walk from the play structure to the spot where he was sitting. As long as it probably took me to tell my friend something interesting. Amazing how fast these things happen.
One minute he was there, the next he wasn't. Ange and I (along with our collective eight kids) were visiting at a picnic table. Every couple of minutes we'd count the kids again, especially if we couldn't see them. They love to go around structures and hide in nooks and crannies where they can't be seen. Then we take a walk to make sure they're all in the sand. They know they aren't to leave the sandy area.
We checked our troop again. No Tennyson. His favorite play structure is the furthest one from where we were sitting - the old one with the metal slide. I headed over there, chatting to the other kids as I walked by. No Tennyson. I did a loop around the play ground. Still no Tennyson. I went around again to make sure I hadn't missed him. I hadn't. I looked beyond the sandy area into the grass, trees, road. Nothing.
Has something like this ever happened to you? It's awful.
My first thought was the lake. I hoped to heck he hadn't headed for the lake. He'd never crossed the road before, but I wanted to rule that out first. I crossed the road hoping I wouldn't see his little body floating in the water. I stood on the rock wall. I didn't see him. I ran back to the play structures, calling his name. By now a few other people were looking concerned and asked who I was looking for. I told them a small blond boy with an orange striped shirt and plaid shorts. I ran into the women's washroom and checked the stalls. Nothing. How could I have lost my baby? I imagined having to call Steven at work and tell him that I lost his son. I rounded the corner to the men's washroom door, and there he was - squishing berries with a stick.
I snatched him up and squeezed him so tightly and lectured him on not being able to see him and scaring mommy. He told me he was sorry, and that he didn't want to be lost. I don't think it had occurred to him that he was lost until then.
What a stinker. It was all of a 15 second walk from the play structure to the spot where he was sitting. As long as it probably took me to tell my friend something interesting. Amazing how fast these things happen.
Comments
I lost Jamin in my house once. Turns out he went to have a nap. But for a moment, when I didn't see him down the hall or downstairs, I got that awful feeling.