After an absolute day from hell, I went to pick up a couple of things at Walmart. There was a CODE ADAM (missing child) soon after I arrived. A very long one. As in "please repeat the description" and "bathrooms cleared" and "toys cleared" and more and more frantic announcements as the obvious places were checked and the kid wasn't found. The poor mom was a bawling basket case and the father was yelling mad, telling the child to stop playing games. There were associates everywhere. All us parents and decent human beings start looking too. Your heart catches in your throat as you imagine what the child and parents are feeling and the tragedies that make the news. I saw the woman's fuzzy robes rounder that hung to the floor and immediately went and pushed them apart and the little girl was there! I almost had a heart attack on the spot. I screamed SHE"S HERE! She didn't want to come out because by now she's scared to death (she's five). I told her nobody's mad and her mommy wants to give her a hug and made sure all the people suddenly around us were Walmart associates so she didn't end up with the wrong people. They reunited her with her family and of course I burst into tears and bawl my eyes out as I walk away, shaking all over and trying not to have a panic attack. Some associate gave me a much needed hug and while I know I was just in the right place at the right time, I left a mess but feeling good that I could help a child. So next time you hear a CODE ADAM look in the robes! Peace.
