What if??

Lillian is seven years old now, and feeling very independent. The First Grade has been liberating. For one thing, she is no longer the youngest kid in the building. And she can read a lot of words now, making out most signs, billboards, menus, etc. She does many things on her own...gets herself dressed in the morning, brushes her own hair, puts it in a ponytail, she can make her own toast, walk from the bus, with her friends...

Several weeks ago, when we went to a play at the local high school, she was delighted to see her cousin Memphis, and the girls wanted to sit together -- apart from Grandma. Ugh.

I was in the mezzanine, and I saw the girls go out to the lobby during the intermission. We are familiar with this theater, and they had $1 for snacks...

But -- the lights went down...and I never actually saw them come back in.

For the entire second act, I kept thinking these thoughts:

• The girls are fine..sitting down in their seats in front of me, watching the play.
• But what if they're not? How will I feel an hour from now if they're missing? How will I explain that to their parents?
• I'm sure they came in, with a bunch of taller adults, and I just missed them. It is SMALL TOWN IOWA...there was not a child abductor waiting in the lobby at that precise moment to kidnap two little girls...
• But what if there was? HEY -- IT HAPPENS...
• What if I just walk down the aisle, and try to find them in the audience? It is so dark...I have no idea where the girls might be sitting...I cannot see a thing...
• What if I scream? Then they would turn the lights on, and I could be sure...
• How embarrassing would that be? I'd make a fool of myself...
• WHO CARES??

Well -- you can see what a miserable hour that was!! But it really made me THINK.

I'm taking Lilly to Chicago this weekend. We'll do the Shedd Aquarium (an after hours event)...and stay at a nice hotel, do the Navy Pier, walk around Macy's...

HEY -- it's a big city with a lot of tall buildings!!

WHAT IF WE GET SEPARATED?? What if I'm admiring a pink flamingo window display and one minute she's there, and the next minute she's gone?? How would I ever find her in Chicago??

Yep. I'm going to get her a cellphone. That way, if there is a moment when I can't see her, I can call her cellphone and say STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE...GRANDMA IS COMING...

Hummmmm, I need a cheep little phone. I watch enough Chicago P.D. and Law and Order to know that what I really need is a burner phone...