Laurie, 9, had never been ice skating, and when her friend Ashley invited her to skate at the Lincoln outdoor rink, she wanted to go. So I bundled her up and took her. Ashley wasn't there when I dropped her off, but there were adults in the warming house and she really wanted to stay, so I left to pick up her brother from high school, to return in a few minutes.
After I left, Laurie skated out onto the ice and was having a good time, until her skate hit something and she fell. Try as she might, she couldn't get back upright. No one else was on the rink at the time, so she reached into her pocket and found the cell phone.
Art had just gotten home and didn't know Laurie was ice skating, and he had no idea where she was when he found a message on the answering machine. "Mom, come fast! I've fallen on the ice and I can't get up." Click.
Art heard that and went into a panic. What ice? Where? Was she drowning in the Mog? On a lake?
I wasn't home and he didn't know where I was. Obviously, I wasn't with Laurie, in her time of danger.
He called Laurie's sister, Miranda. Fortunately, Miranda knew that I had taken Laurie to the Lincoln rink and that set his mind at ease. At least she would not drown. He tried to start the boys' car, but in his rush, flooded the engine. When he came back into the house, Laurie called again. This time, she told him she had managed to crawl to the warming house. At that point, I arrived and all was well.
Guess I should always leave a note when I go out to avoid any more panic sessions.
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