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Tuesday, December 08, 2009
So this one time, I went to the grocery store and I lost my coupons. I realized it when I got up to the cash register. I didn't know if it would be dumb to try and go find my coupon file or not. I got pretty teary eyed, I won't lie. But the next day, I called the store and some kind soul had turned it into lost and found and got my coupons back. Great story, yes?
Now imagine that story but replace "coupons" with "daughter."
And "teary eyed" with "hysterical."
However, I did not have to wait until the next day when someone turned her into lost and found to get her back.
See, I have one of those kids that likes to run away and hide in stores. She does it LOTS. And most of the time, it's fine because she either runs two feet away from me or her dad is with us. But today, it got slightly out of hand. It was just her and me at Target. She started to dart away (because HEAVEN FORBID she stay in a cart without climbing out of it!) and within ten seconds, she was gone. Like gone gone.
I was walking ALL OVER yelling her name, and getting more and more hysterical. About the time I was going to totally lose it, a worker said, "Did you lose your kid? What does she look like? What is she wearing?" And, literally, within 10 seconds EVERY TARGET WORKER was looking for Kendall. (I apologize if you were shopping there today...). The "Code Yellow" was announced over the loud speaker. If you have to lose a kid, you want it to be at Target. They have a system down. I give them serious props. The manager told me to go to guest services (ok, do you see how long this story is getting? Kendall was missing THE WHOLE TIME) and wait and they would bring her to me. I said no way! I had to look for her! At this point, I had visions of news anchors saying, "heartbreaking" and Oprah talking to me on satellite about the time I let my daughter out of the shopping cart and she disappeared forever.
She finally convinced me to go and as I was walking over there, I heard someone yell from across the store, "I found her!"
The nice woman who found her brought her to me. Kendall was hiding in some pajamas and had a big ole grin on her face.
When I told Colin he laughed and laughed. Today, I'm buying this and this. Merry Christmas, Kendall. Santa is bringing you a leash.
10 comments:
How scary, Emily!!! I lost Noah once at Target too, but I was lucky enough to find him lots faster than that. They know how to knock a few years off of our lives, don't they?
I don't judge the leash parents anymore- I consider them prudent. One of these days I'm going to have to get one for Jonah- Like in the next seven months.
(((HUGS))) Did you have one of those moments where you wanted to beat within an inch of her life and hug her so tight she couldn't breathe at the same time? I don't know how I would react if that ever happens to me.
Yikes! The thing I fear most is losing my child! I'm so glad it had a happy ending!!
I know that was awful for you! Kids just don't get that if they run away something bad could happen to them. Mine are the same way. I want someone that David doesn't know to grab him the next time that he does that so he takes me seriously when I tell him not to run away a man will get him.
And I think leashes are a requirement for second borns. I just pulled one out for Drew a few weeks ago. We all love it.
Mike and I did that with Tim when he was about two - only it was losing him on a street in England and a double decker bus found him! We heard the screech of brakes and looked to see the bus inches (well, it might have been a few feet but looked like inches to US!) from him. Stamp "UNFIT MOTHER" on my forehead! it's a scary thing to lose a child no matter where you are! Glad Target came through for you. And I think you are SMART to buy a child harness - we used them from then on with Tim and then Chris, especially in airports (that goodness knows, we spent enough time in those when they were growing up).
Come to think of it, I should have kept that thing on both of them when they were teenagers and we lived in Trinidad...hummmm....
The first time I saw a leash on a child I swooned and had the vapors--I was so dramatically disgusted! 30 years later, and after having lost Adam several times, I have eaten those words over and over. Great product. Get one now.
NO WAY!! NOT my precious Kendall!! Did you want to hug her or beat her?
wow Emily! That is very scary!! I'm glad that she was found quickly! I would definitely panic if that happened to me! I bought a monkey backpack leash when Karli was little and hardly used it. But I will definitely be saving it now for Blake!
No judgement coming from me. Who knows how many times I'll lose my kiddo. I'm happy to hear she was found! Also, good to know about Target lost child process. It makes me love them even more.
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