The Worst 15 Minutes of My Life
Today I was up with the birds and got Stephen to drop Jack and I of about a mile outside Bromley as it was on his way to work and I walked in and got there as people were dashing for trains and the shops were just opening. My plan was to buy Jessica a christmas present (hadn't actually planned on buying her one until Jackie got one for Jack!!) and some crackers and then meet up with Susannah for quick coffee before heading of home.
Met up with Susannah, had a coffee and we were on our way back out of the Glades shopping centre, Olivia and Jack hand in hand like a couple of love birds and we got to Tie Rack and Olivia turned around and reached into her buggy for "me julie" (my gilet!!) and I just quickly glanced at her and laughed at her pronounciation turned back round and Jack was gone, and I mean GONE!! One second he was there right at the wheels of my buggy and the next second he had evaporated into thin air. It was very very busy and I was charging around the shoppers trying to spot a 3 foot tearaway in a light blue puffa coat but he literally was no where to be seen. And so began the panic, my son had literally vanished of the face of the earth I left Susannah with the buggies and was screaming Jack's name around the shopping centre, darting in and out of shops, other women were shouting his name too, asking for a description, others were cussing me for tripping over their buggies but I didn't have the time or inclination to get into a battle of words with anyone. Then this woman came to me and said "Look you have to go to the information desk now and get security on to it, these women will continue to look for him". So of we ran down to security, I'm by this point an absolute wreck, and so this woman (whose name turned out to be Tracey) told the security bloke that a 2 year old boy was missing, his name was Jack and he was wearing a blue puffa coat. I managed to find my voice and the bloke was on the walky talkie, the cameras were all ordered to look out for a 2 year old caucasion with very blond hair, blue puffa coat, osh kosh jeans, brown clarks boots and answers to the name of Jack. It just seemed like nothing was happening for ages, I was in a real blind panic, all sorts of things were going through my head, I kept wailing that it was too quick for him to disappear on his own, someone had taken him. I really did believe someone had just picked him up and gone of with him, Jamie Bulger came to my mind. I kept thinking that I would not be having christmas with my baby, I'd never see him again, your mind does weird things when this sort of thing happens, you just don't think straight and weird thoughts come into your mind, at one point I was thinking about what I would do with his christmas presents. Just wild random thoughts, but the main one being that my baby boy was going to either never be seen again or would be found dead somewhere. And then I hyperventillated and fell to my knees and I ended up with a first aid person from the desk looking at me and telling me to breath through my nose and out my mouth etc and just as they were helping me up the news came over the radio that Jack had been found!! Within a few seconds I could see him being carried by another young guard and obviously the big security boss with them. When they got to us I kid you not we all had a group hug, me Tracey, the security guys, the relief was like electricity in the air. He had been found by a young woman who had heard the description of Jack being given by the woman called Tracey and she was on her way out of the shopping centre and as she passed the Thomas the Tank Engine ride she spotted him, picked him up and gave him immediately to a security guard. She came down with them, she was worried that she might be accused of taking him but obviously no one thought that for a second. So my son had literally just gone to the other side of Tie Rack where there is an exit to the civic centre and a main road and spent an entire 15 minutes in a bloody Thomas the Tank Engine ride, had I just looked to my left when I was looking for him I would like to think I would have seen him straightaway and there would have been no need for utter panic. Jack of course was totally obvlivious to the utter nightmare that had gone on over him.
This happened with Phil when he was the same age, my mum was holding his hand in the Glades, she went to look at something in a shop but didn't take him with her assuming he would come and hold onto the buggy with his brother, but it took 5 minutes for security staff to find him and he was in Bows and Bangles trying to put things in his hair.
When I rang Stephen and told him he went mental, he's not happy with me and says he'll "discuss" it with me when he gets home. Said he's not blaming me but there are things about the way I am which mean I'm not careful enough with "his" son.
I'm still shaking now 5 hours later, of course Jack has had whatever his heart desires since he got home.
On a lighter note I bumped into a very pregnant Sally with Oscar and Sally's sister and missus. She looks fab!
It's 4.30, wondering if it's too early to partake in a little alcohol, I really need it, my arms are hurting from all the shaking, as well as the fact I'm not particularly well, my head throbs and my chest actually hurts from my heart hammering away earlier and my hyperventilating. I know these things happen, but sometimes I just wonder why it always seems to be Jack who gets into one mishap or another!! Just looking at the photos below of him in his dressing gown and it makes me cry, I couldn't imagine this world without him, let alone my own world. He's my little star and today made me realise that I couldn't give a shit about potty training, his sleeping in my bed, his not eating his fruit and veg and his not being very good at talking, I'm just glad he is here with me, at home today, and for a very long time to come yet!
I have moved to Vox now for my blog http://serialdieter.vox.com/ as it's much safer as you can choose who reads your posts you do have to join to read mine I'm afraid!
Met up with Susannah, had a coffee and we were on our way back out of the Glades shopping centre, Olivia and Jack hand in hand like a couple of love birds and we got to Tie Rack and Olivia turned around and reached into her buggy for "me julie" (my gilet!!) and I just quickly glanced at her and laughed at her pronounciation turned back round and Jack was gone, and I mean GONE!! One second he was there right at the wheels of my buggy and the next second he had evaporated into thin air. It was very very busy and I was charging around the shoppers trying to spot a 3 foot tearaway in a light blue puffa coat but he literally was no where to be seen. And so began the panic, my son had literally vanished of the face of the earth I left Susannah with the buggies and was screaming Jack's name around the shopping centre, darting in and out of shops, other women were shouting his name too, asking for a description, others were cussing me for tripping over their buggies but I didn't have the time or inclination to get into a battle of words with anyone. Then this woman came to me and said "Look you have to go to the information desk now and get security on to it, these women will continue to look for him". So of we ran down to security, I'm by this point an absolute wreck, and so this woman (whose name turned out to be Tracey) told the security bloke that a 2 year old boy was missing, his name was Jack and he was wearing a blue puffa coat. I managed to find my voice and the bloke was on the walky talkie, the cameras were all ordered to look out for a 2 year old caucasion with very blond hair, blue puffa coat, osh kosh jeans, brown clarks boots and answers to the name of Jack. It just seemed like nothing was happening for ages, I was in a real blind panic, all sorts of things were going through my head, I kept wailing that it was too quick for him to disappear on his own, someone had taken him. I really did believe someone had just picked him up and gone of with him, Jamie Bulger came to my mind. I kept thinking that I would not be having christmas with my baby, I'd never see him again, your mind does weird things when this sort of thing happens, you just don't think straight and weird thoughts come into your mind, at one point I was thinking about what I would do with his christmas presents. Just wild random thoughts, but the main one being that my baby boy was going to either never be seen again or would be found dead somewhere. And then I hyperventillated and fell to my knees and I ended up with a first aid person from the desk looking at me and telling me to breath through my nose and out my mouth etc and just as they were helping me up the news came over the radio that Jack had been found!! Within a few seconds I could see him being carried by another young guard and obviously the big security boss with them. When they got to us I kid you not we all had a group hug, me Tracey, the security guys, the relief was like electricity in the air. He had been found by a young woman who had heard the description of Jack being given by the woman called Tracey and she was on her way out of the shopping centre and as she passed the Thomas the Tank Engine ride she spotted him, picked him up and gave him immediately to a security guard. She came down with them, she was worried that she might be accused of taking him but obviously no one thought that for a second. So my son had literally just gone to the other side of Tie Rack where there is an exit to the civic centre and a main road and spent an entire 15 minutes in a bloody Thomas the Tank Engine ride, had I just looked to my left when I was looking for him I would like to think I would have seen him straightaway and there would have been no need for utter panic. Jack of course was totally obvlivious to the utter nightmare that had gone on over him.
This happened with Phil when he was the same age, my mum was holding his hand in the Glades, she went to look at something in a shop but didn't take him with her assuming he would come and hold onto the buggy with his brother, but it took 5 minutes for security staff to find him and he was in Bows and Bangles trying to put things in his hair.
When I rang Stephen and told him he went mental, he's not happy with me and says he'll "discuss" it with me when he gets home. Said he's not blaming me but there are things about the way I am which mean I'm not careful enough with "his" son.
I'm still shaking now 5 hours later, of course Jack has had whatever his heart desires since he got home.
On a lighter note I bumped into a very pregnant Sally with Oscar and Sally's sister and missus. She looks fab!
It's 4.30, wondering if it's too early to partake in a little alcohol, I really need it, my arms are hurting from all the shaking, as well as the fact I'm not particularly well, my head throbs and my chest actually hurts from my heart hammering away earlier and my hyperventilating. I know these things happen, but sometimes I just wonder why it always seems to be Jack who gets into one mishap or another!! Just looking at the photos below of him in his dressing gown and it makes me cry, I couldn't imagine this world without him, let alone my own world. He's my little star and today made me realise that I couldn't give a shit about potty training, his sleeping in my bed, his not eating his fruit and veg and his not being very good at talking, I'm just glad he is here with me, at home today, and for a very long time to come yet!
I have moved to Vox now for my blog http://serialdieter.vox.com/ as it's much safer as you can choose who reads your posts you do have to join to read mine I'm afraid!
posted by Al at 8:42 AM
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