Friday, March 31, 2006

Missing

I almost had a big heart attack yesterday.

Last night, my maid said that she wanted to buy a RM11++ jeans from Tesco. She saw that in the Tesco brochure and told my mum that yesterday was the last offer day. So, after dinner, I took her, the two kids and my mum to Tesco, doing some grocery shopping at the same time. After almost one hour of shopping, I queued up waiting to pay at the far end of the cashier counter. I then turned to where my mum & the kids were and asked, using our own sign language, “Where is Brendan?”

My mum looked around her & showed the “not here” sign. I thought she was joking until I realized that Brendan was missing! We walked up and down the aisle and I even peeped under a nearby table covered with cloth and Brendan was nowhere to be found. I didn’t dare to venture far from where I was incase Brendan was playing hide-&-seek.

My maid, carrying my little gal, quickly ran to the market and vege section cos Brendan likes seeing the fruits and veggies and fishes. My mum quickly walked around here & there and finally when down the escalator to the car park to find him. Everyone was staring at us. I finally went to ask the Guard at the exit of Tesco if he has seen a little boy of my given description. He said he didn’t see him and request that I made an announcement via the P.A. Reluctantly, I went to the Information counter.

My mind was racing. My heart was beating fast. My pulse irregular. At first, I was pretty calm, but the calmness turned to panic when time passes by.

This is SOOO unlike Brendan. He is not the type who would usually wander away, though he has the habit of slowly taking his own sweet time walking behind us and stopping to see the things around him. He dislikes strangers too and any strangers who carries him will throw him into a fit of tears!

So, I was keeping my ears opened for any crying children and any announcement of a missing boy.

Back at the Information counter, I was hoping to see a little boy crying, but I didn’t.. I called my hubby in Germany to inform him that our son is missing.

THEN….. at the far end corner, totally away from where we were standing, was a little boy who looks like Brendan. It was indeed Brendan! He was squatting near the toys section, near the entrance of Tesco, observing some dunno-what-toys, definitely unaware of what was happening.

BRENDAN!!” He turned and looked at me. “Why are you here, Brendan?! Why did you walked away from mummy? Don’t do that to mummy anymore ok?” He stared at me with blurry eyes and kept very quiet.

I was crying and laughing simultaneously, oblivious to the stares from those around me.

I proceeded to carry Brendan to where I left my trolley and put him in there while I make the payment. After a while, my maid and mum turned, with faces all pale but was relieved to see my smiling face. My mum gave Brendan a HUGE BIG scolding to the amusement of the cashier and the people queueing up behind us.

THAT one particular incident gave me one big hit in the head.

15 comments:

Princess Mom said...

aiyo, sharon. I can imagine what you went through.Its a mothers worse nightmare. Thank God, Brendan is safe and sound!

Egghead said...

life span kena shorten liao :P

Anonymous said...

I'm going to start drawing Xin-E's attention to PA. So that when there's a need (choi!), she'll hear me.

geeth said...

Phew! Even if it was just 5 minutes, the thought of it just kills, isn't it.

Thank God he is safe, back in your hands.

Babysmooches said...

hmom, my mind went blank, but luckily I can still managed to keep my cool.

egghead, yikes! you're right!

whsoo, let's hope I won't have to resort to that. sob! sob!

geetha, to hear of it is scary, to experience it, heart attack!

Mumsgather said...

Yah, once my colleague lost her son at the Genting Highlands indoor theme park. It was definitely a heart attack moment!

Babysmooches said...

mumsgather, I can imagine the scenario in a bigger place like a shopping complex. Genting's INdoor park, even bigger heart attack.

ZMM said...

Oh my, luckily you found him!
These hypermarts are so big, sometimes it's difficult to even look for an adult, what more a kid!

Next time, always hold on to his hand!

Tracy said...

Eiks! Dat really was a big 'heart attack' indeed. I can imagine how fractic u were cos I had such an experience with Destinee too. Mind was totally blank, fumbling for the h/p to call pappy, asking around 'have u seen a child with the description' like a mad woman, searching every corner, at the verge of crying - Haiyo.

But luckily when she realised I was not with her, she screamed her lungs out for mommy and immediately I recognised her voice. Quickly I followed her voice and found her (her hands were grabbing a toy tennis racket) at the toys dept. Phew!

So from then onwards, she wouldn't get out of my sight and always holding to my hand when we go 'gai gai'.

Maybe dat taught both of us a lesson - Destinee: always hold mommy's hand; Mommy: always hold Destinee's hand.

Milly said...

last time when i small... i always go shopping with parents..and always hear those PA anoucing there is a lost kid.. this and that...

mummy always take this as a good example to tell me that must always follow mummy ...cannot simple walk a way....

hehehe....

i read story also feel very gan cheong...

Anonymous said...

Phew, glad you found him.

If I am going to hypermart, I put both of them in the trolley. They treat it like a train and ride in it.

mom2ashley said...

whoa..scary la! i would have had a heart attack as well!

Jess said...

Heart attack for we mummies here too! :P

This happen to my MIL once, as she let Wien walk around by herself, lucky it just a very small market!

Hubby always reminds me: let the kids walk in front of u, never never behind u & hold their hands if possible! But sometimes I will forget...now read your scary incident, remind me really really hv to keep an eye to them in supermarket!

Anonymous said...

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Babysmooches said...

zara's mama, luckily it wasn't in ashopping complexe.

Tracy, Destine holding racket? Must be getting ready to whack at strangers coming near her.

potential mum, Brendan knows how to follow us closely, but that day dunno what happened.

Michelle, Brendan normally sits in the trolley too, but sometimes buntut gatal, must come down and walk a little. sigh!

mom2ashley, you never know with these kdis nowadays, they get distracted easily.

jesslyn, yup, must keep all eyes & hands on them kiddos...

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