Lost!

If you tuned in for a post about Matthew Fox trapped on an island where bizarre things happen … uh, ummm, well … you probably should head to another blog.

Wait, on the other hand, this post is about a place where bizarre things happened  – a place that’s larger than life and more than it first appears to be.

I’m talking, of course, about the Bass Pro Shops. What? Expected something else?

We met some friends at our nearest Bass Pro Shop tonight. We chose that spot because, with all of the boats, ATVs, and outdoor stuff, the place is like a stinkin’ amusement park - for everyone. I mean, let’s face it, there aren’t too many places where you can buy a bass boat, camo gear, bait, fudge, and a sweater you can wear to a dressy party! It’s got a little something for everyone!

However, like all good things, too much can be a problem! I’m guessing that I don’t have to explain the dangers of a power shop mentality in this environment. I mean, I think we can all understand the possible downsides of impulse buying a bass boat or a party barge. But, I learned tonight, that there are scarier things going on in this fun house. There is so much to see and do that the temptation to wander away … to explore without checking in with a parent … is too much.

I was trying on a sweater (which, I bought by the way) and Husband took BK for a bottle when I realized that I couldn’t see Little Man anymore. I called Husband and asked if he had him. Nope. He just had BK. 

I calmly looked up at my friends and said, ”Husband doesn’t have Little Man and I don’t either.” We immediately started combing the store. As they went department to department, I went to find the first sales associate I could find. The store is so ding-dang big that I was afraid that we’d miss him.

At this point, I was just worried that he would be scared. I didn’t even think about someone leaving with him. That was probably good – panic would not have helped!

OK, so if you are gonna lose a kid somewhere, Bass Pro Shops are a pretty good choice. I know that sounds just awful, but you should have seen them in action. I mean, I walked up and told them that I lost my son and within minutes they did an all call with his description (they actually have a version of “code red” for just this thing). Next thing I knew, folks in green shirts were everywhere.

In less than 5 minutes, a call came in to tell them that Little Man was safe and with his dad.

There’s a whole bunch more to this story that I just can’t find words for - including how silly I felt once I found out that he and our friends’ kids had been together the whole time and were very close to where I had been shopping. 

Losing a kid  - or thinking you have - is scary and the relief that washes over you when they are found is overwhelming. You want to hug them and throttle them all at the very same time. You want to hold their hands and find a leash.

I’ve heard lots of ways to be sure that you can give a good description of your child should they get lost. One of my favorites involves the camera in your cell phone. It’s simple. Take a quick picture of your child before you head out and save it to your phone. This way, if you need to get a description out, you can do it quickly and accurately. As an added bonus, you can forward it to those looking if they have the ability to receive it and, if God-forbid, a search takes more than a few minutes. I’d like to say that I’ll do this from now on. My guess is that I won’t.

Fast forward the evening a bit…

Life always manages to keep me on my toes! About 30 minutes after the drama that was our little lost episode, it was time to go. Little Man (who I was so thrilled to see safe and sound) decided that he just couldn’t go. (Apparently, it’s not fun at home.) There was a meltdown. There were tears. There was gnashing of teeth. There was negotiating (instigated by Little Man, of course). We were only a smidge away from a tantrum. It was not pretty.

You know, I’ve figuratively described this place as an amusement park for ages. Who knew that I’d find a literal emotional rollercoster? I think next time I’ll just power shop the party barge and call it a day!