the update

Last we left each other, I was about to bike down to check on my three 8 years old whom I sent down to the school playground.  Let's pick up there...

So, I grab my dog and hop on my bike, armed with gaterades and prepared to find these 3 cuties having a great time at the playground.  I wonder, as I bike, would they be doing the monkey bars?  Maybe the swings.  Or, maybe they lucked out and a ball was left out and they would be playing kickball.  

I pull up and the playground is suspiciously quiet and empty.  "Shit, where are they?" I wonder.  I slowly bike by, looking for the scooters, listening for their voices, but it was a ghost town.  Crickets chirping.  Tumbleweeds blowing.  

Are you with me?

I bike around the neighborhood, looking at the beach, going along the bay (maybe they took the scenic route home?), squiggling through the streets on the way home.  "Ah, I know!  I missed them on the bike ride there.  They are probably waiting for me on our front deck."

I get home and nothing.  Nada.  No cute boys.  No scooters haphazardly thrown on the grass.  

I start to sweat.  Did I mention that they new friend's father is a police officer?  This is not the conversation I want to have with a police officer.

I decide to take the car and drive around looking for them.  I go back to the usual spots and try a few more.  I drive past 2 houses that house trampolines in their backyards.  I don't get out because I don't see the tell-tale scooters in the front yards, but I slowly case the joints, listening for jumping, yelling, laughing.  

I get angry.  I get worried.  I craft my scolding.  I decide upon punishment.  I see a neighbor and ask him to keep an eye out.  I return home - no boys.  I have now been looking for 30 minutes.  I check the answering machine and hear a message from new friend's mom.  "Hi!  Just checking in!  We'll head on over to pick our boy up in a few minutes."

Shit. 

So, I take a deep breath and call them with the news.  "I am embarrassed to admit this but I don't know where the boys are.  Just so you know I've never lost any kids before."  

"We'll find 'em," Mr. Police Officer responds.  We exchange cell phone numbers and he sets off to my house.  I call the other boy's mom.  I quickly run down the situation and ask her what she thinks.  She suspects the trampoline houses and offers to go there to look for them.

I nervously pace the house.  I sweep.  I dust.  I look out the door, down the street.  I watch the clock.  

Phone rings.  It's Mr. Police Officer.  "We got 'em."  

Turns out they got thirsty and crossed the street to the neighborhood coffee shop to get some water.  (This must have been when I biked past.)  They left the coffee shop and went around the corner to the neighborhood beach, where they played on the sand.  They were happily scootering along home, oblivious that they were "lost".  

I eat crow in front of new friend's family, apologizing for the trouble and freaking out.  I chastise Two for not sticking to the plan (to school and to home - nowhere else).  I sheepishly ask if new friend could come back to play again someday.  "Next time with a little bit better supervision, haha," I say.

******

This morning, after the dust settled, I decided to have a little stranger-danger review with my Two.  We laid in bed and strategized how he should respond if some creepo approached him with candy, or a request to help him find a lost puppy, or the line that "your mom sent me to bring you home."  I reminded him to consider if it makes sense that a strange adult would ask him to help him find a missing dog.  "Would I do that if Dash ran away - ask some random kid to help me?"  "No, mom!" he responded.  We talked about that next time he should wear a watch and come home at a specific time.  That he cannot go anywhere we don't decide upon ahead of time.  That maybe he could even take my phone so we can be in touch with each other.  

******

In the end, I am glad it unfolded the way it did, even if new friend's parents think I'm the flakiest parent.  I believe age 8 is ok to give a little taste of freedom in the world.  In the end, no harm was done and some lessons were reinforced.