Adrift at Bacchus
by
When I was around six years old, my parents took all us kids to see Bacchus. For some reason, my father needed to move his car from where it was parked. He did this during the parade. After the parade, we returned to our car. Except that I walked back from the way I came and got separated from my family. I didn’t realize I was alone until I could walk no further–I ended up at a canal or some other body of water. When I turned around and saw no one I recognized, I FREAKED OUT. Being six, this freak out was more of an internal shuddering with quiet external tears.I didn’t know what to do. Stay put and hope they’d find me or retrace my steps and look for them? I froze.
A couple approached me and the woman asked if I was lost. She was being polite–of course I was lost. I nodded and sniffled. She took me by the hand, and the three of us began walking back to the parade route.
En route, we came upon my family. All I remember is my mother. She, too, had been FREAKED OUT and was in tears. She scooped me up and thanked the couple for helping me. I was neither punished nor chastised. I was missed and loved and appreciated. I will never, ever forgot the look on my mother’s face that night nor the fear I felt being lost nor the love I felt being found.
This post brought back the memories when I was lost on the Virginia Beach broadwalk.. I was terrified. And it is amazing how I too still remember how frantic my mother was when we got reunited.
Great. Now I am crying. The thought of losing my daughter terrifies me everytime we go out! I will remember if she ever does get lost to not chastise her. That could be damaging. I will remember how scared she would be too. THanks.
The same thing happened to me when I was 5! Except I stupidly followed a Pinocchio float and then approached a nice looking couple in leather to tell them I was lost and I needed a cop.
You have made my case for not going to the parades, thank you.
I did this to my Mom at a mall when I was four or five. I still remember walking back into the mall (I had gone to the car and waited there until some man said something to me and scared me enough to go back inside) and seeing my Mom crying and shaking, talking to a police officer. Then, I remember her tears of joy when she saw me. This is why I never criticize those people who keep their kids on leashes. As a matter of fact, just the opposite.
I was scared for you… glad it had a happy ending.
Wow… that is my greatest fear as a parent. Losing my child at the mall or in a crowd. It happened a few times to me when I was a kid, and I still remember the insane fear that came with it. To even put my son thru that would kill me. Plus, of course I don’t wanna lose him because that would SO suck, too.
Wow. That post brought back a few memories of being lost. It happened so many times that eventually I was afraid of being alone anywhere. Thankfully, I have gotten over that now. Great post…the emotion was intense.
Good grief! *sniff* I was trembling here for you….
Ugh, suddenly I want a leash for my daughter.
Awwww….what a lovely story. So nice to see someone write good memories about their childhood!
hey you…i have a little something, over on my blog…for you!!!
xoxo