When I was about 6, my mom and I were in Foodland, our local grocery store. She was pushing the cart, searching for ingredients needed for dinner.
As we walked through the aisle, I gravitated toward the candy, situated perfectly at a child’s eye level. Even though I knew candy probably wasn’t on our shopping list, I enjoyed looking at the colorful wrappers. After a minute or so, I glanced up, and realized my mom had left the aisle.
I ran to the next aisle, looking for her. She was there with her back to me, and I quickly grabbed her hand, relieved to have found her. After walking around the store for several minutes, she asked, “Should we get some ice cream?” But the voice was not my mother’s. I looked up, surprised to see an unfamiliar woman’s face. Her expression mirrored mine. The woman exclaimed, “You’re not my daughter!” just as I said, “You’re not my mom!” Presumably, this mystery woman’s daughter was also meandering around the store in search of her mom.
I turned and ran away, and found my real mom in the cereal aisle, unaware that I had even been lost.
Before grabbing her hand, I looked up to be certain that it was actually my mother this time.
As we walked through the aisle, I gravitated toward the candy, situated perfectly at a child’s eye level. Even though I knew candy probably wasn’t on our shopping list, I enjoyed looking at the colorful wrappers. After a minute or so, I glanced up, and realized my mom had left the aisle.
I ran to the next aisle, looking for her. She was there with her back to me, and I quickly grabbed her hand, relieved to have found her. After walking around the store for several minutes, she asked, “Should we get some ice cream?” But the voice was not my mother’s. I looked up, surprised to see an unfamiliar woman’s face. Her expression mirrored mine. The woman exclaimed, “You’re not my daughter!” just as I said, “You’re not my mom!” Presumably, this mystery woman’s daughter was also meandering around the store in search of her mom.
I turned and ran away, and found my real mom in the cereal aisle, unaware that I had even been lost.
Before grabbing her hand, I looked up to be certain that it was actually my mother this time.
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