Wandering Off

[Heather]

When I was a toddler, or so I am told, I often wandered away from home and on a couple of occasions the police found me wandering the streets and took me home. I don’t recall most of those occasions, but there is one time I do remember; it must be one of my earliest memories.

I was three, and had a sister 18 months younger than I, and a new baby brother. Apparently, (I don’t remember this part of the story), my sister and brother were christened on the same day and I must have had my cute three year old nose out of joint because my younger siblings were getting all the attention and not me.

Clearly, the thing to do was to find someone who did love me! Climbing aboard my tricycle, I began to pedal from one side of the suburb of Glenroy to the other to visit my much loved grandmother... I was the apple of her eye; she would be pleased to see me!

Even at three it is evident that I was self motivated and an independent thinker!

I remember, as though it was only yesterday, riding my tricycle across the railway line (Sydney- Melbourne line) and then across busy Pascoe Vale Road. I wisely waited at the traffic lights and then following the legs of the adults, crossed the road, peddling my tricycle.

Why do we remember some parts of things that happened and not others? It’s a mystery how the brain works. I don’t remember the rest of the story. I apparently rocked up to my grandmother’s house; she of course was very pleased to see me and enquired as to the whereabouts of my parents. I can only imagine my grandmother’s disbelief to find that I was alone. And what must my poor parents have been going through by this time? (That would teach them to have more than one child!) My parents had neither phone nor car at this stage of their lives. Happily I made it home and made it to adulthood.

Many years later, as a young mother, I was to experience the most terrifying experience I can imagine without actually having a child die.

I had two small children, David and Hayley. Hayley was about 2 at the time and David was nearly 4. Life was busy with two young toddlers but I loved motherhood and all the joys it brought. We had moved to a country property when I was three months pregnant with Hayley. Life was wonderful, with views, fresh air, trees, chooks, ducks and geese to care for and a new country lifestyle. We were happy but broke as most young families are and there were things around the house and property that needed doing but we couldn’t yet afford.

One day I was out hanging washing and when I had finished I realised that Hayley was missing from the house. I searched the house and the yard around the house and she was nowhere to be found.

The dam, oh my God, the dam!

Heart pounding. Head spinning; can’t think. I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe! I gingerly approached the large unfenced dam near the house, terrified of what I might find. No sign of her. If she was in the dam would she sink or float? Could she be at the bottom? It’s so deep and cold. How could I have taken my eyes off her? I was to blame. Where was my little girl? Oh God, where was my little girl! What do I do next?

Quickly, I ran around and checked everywhere again. Nothing. I then ran to the end of our driveway – which is about 250 metres long and looked up and down the road and into the paddocks. No sign of her.

This was without doubt the most terrifying moment of my life. I remember thinking, “What do I do next?” Where was my little girl? I was absolutely petrified that she had fallen into the dam. Adrenalin pumping; heart racing, knees weak, shaking uncontrollably, barely able to stand. I was going through every possible emotion but at the same time so numb with fear.

I turned, ready to run back to the house to ring 000, - and then, amongst the trees in the front paddock, a movement of red, a glimpse of red. And there she was, a small, confident figure in red, making her way through the paddock towards me. Relief. You can breath again.

Hayley is 22 now and a confident young lady. I’ll have to ask her if she remembers her little adventure.

©Heather Knight 9 May 2011

[Bob Pacey]

Heather I can but imagine the panic. I was sitting with a young mum and grandparents at the footy on friday night and their little girl about three was sliding down the railing. The game took our attention for what seem like a few seconds and she was gone.

Frantic searching ensued as the entry gate was open and a busy road nearby when out pops a little head from the reserves bench where the players sit.

Never seen such a relieved mum in your life.

Bob

[Heather]

It's not a nice feeling at all Bob. I can honestly still remember standing at the top of the drive with my head in a spin and wondering what on earth to do next. Someone was paying me back I think!

Heather

[Bob Pacey]

The big question is did you take yellow Ted with you?


Bob

[mummsie]

I'm hearing you Heather, I've had four of the little blighters, and each one carrys his/her own lost story. That feeling, if only for minutes, is the most terrifying one any mother can endure.
Sue

[Neville Briggs]

Good story Heather. Looks very well written to me, it's clear and direct and is full of action, there's no waffling over irrelevent details, you built up the tension and resolved the crisis with great skill. I enjoyed reading it. I appreciate your panic

[Heather]

Thanks Sue. I've four as well but she is the only one that ever went AWOL. Thank goodness. Mind you, the third child and middle daughter was the one always in trouble. Her's is another story which I should write soon.

Thanks Neville. I haven't written fiction for a long time but I did try to build in some description and hoped I got across the feeling of panic. There's hope for me yet as a writer!

Heather

[Bob Pacey]

Fiction ? Did you make that up ?


Had me but then I'm pretty gullible.


Bob

[Heather]

Nope, every word was true Bobbo. As a kid I wrote fiction but haven't done it for many many years now. I did think hard about how to get the feeling of panic across. It was a good exercise.

Heather

[Jasper Brush]

G'day Heather

It is amazing how far you can go back. Then again they say the brain learns the most between 0-5.

The other true story full of suspense and trauma and the rallying of natural instincts to deal with such a situation, is as Neville said: well written.

Regards,


John