Lost and Found

When I was little my family would usually get a real tree at Christmas time. One year while we were shopping for one I found myself all alone in a big parking lot forest. Boy was I scared. I'm pretty sure that I cried a little (you know, like little kids do). This older couple saw me and asked if I was lost. When I admitted I was they took me towards the front of the are a and then lifted me onto one of the crates. I stood there and looked around for my parents. It was really dark and scary. My parents found me though and I was very happy for the reunion and for the old couple who helped me.

I wish that I could say, "after that I didn't leave my parents any more." But that would be untrue. In the grocery store I loved to chase the reflection of the florescent lights down each isle and jump over then as they approached my feet. Another habit of mine was to pretend like the clothes racks at Target and VF Factory Outlet were forts. I would crawl into the middle of the rack and pull my feet up on the middle bars. I would also duck so that no one could see me from above or below. This frightened my mom a few times. A combination of these events led my mom to purchase a wrist to wrist leash. Oh, I hated that thing. The first time I had to wear it we were in the grocery store.

I decided to take my usual jaunt down the isle. I hit the end of my rope about three steps into my takeoff. The tether pulled me sideways and smashed my knee into the shopping cart. OUCH! My knee was black and blue for a long time after that, but I didn't run away any more. I guess I was pretty dumb to think that the blue strap around my wrist and connected to my mom's wrist would make no difference on my range. I'm sure my kids will have to learn this same lesson. Good thing they make more humane straps now!

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