family stories

Yesterday Reed (age 6 1/2) and Jack (age just 3) spent the afternoon with us. We worked in the studio, watered plants and helped Jimmy cook salmon for our dinner on the patio. After dinner, as I washed the dishes, Jim read "Pumpkin Soup" to the boys. Then the boys got out a Tommy Train game and were playing on the living room floor. Reed came to me and wanted to play a game. We played a round or two of tick-tack-toe. Then switched to a new (for Reed) game of "No Dice". I had not played it in a while and needed to study the directions. At one point I looked around and noticed Jack had given up on "Tommy Train" and I said I thought he must be watching TV with Kenny--I'd go get him as soon as Reed and I finished our game. Suddenly it was almost 7:00 and I had promised Sara to have them home between 6:30 and 7. So I went back to Kenny's room to get Jack and put the boys in the car--but Jack was not there. Nor was he anywhere. Not in any of the bedrooms, the closets, etc, etc, etc! After we all searched the house and yard frantically Jim and Reed got in the car to drive around looking for him. They stopped a couple joggers and enlisted them in the search. I called Karen to alert her and she and Lauren walked over, looking for a little lost boy on the way. Out front I encountered our neighbor and told him we had lost a 3 year old. John was certain Jack could not have opened the door and so must be in the house. But I assured him we had searched the house, several times, calling "Jack" over and over again. So John and his wife Judi joined the search with flashlights. I was on my umpteenth round of looking in all the closets when I heard Karen call me from the living room saying she'd found Jack.

Asleep on the floor of the library. I had turned on the library lights and looked under the table--but not beyond it! We all gathered in library, Karen, Lauren, John, Judi, Jim, Reed and me chattering away and he never woke! Jim picked him up and carried him to the car. Jack woke a bit when Jim put him into the car seat! Happy ending to a scary story.

Now what makes that one of another 'family story' is the time Bradford went missing. After a frantic search of house and yard the volunteer search/rescue team of Kennebunkport was called. Sirens set off, alters sent out, everyone in K'port searching for that little lost boy--who was finally found sound asleep in a closet at home! Must we ever relive our past?