the wanderer.....

It was a normal Wednesday afternoon. I'm driving this week, so I was taking Gene home. As we turned onto his street we saw a little boy, maybe 2 1/2, and a dog walking along the side of the road towards a somewhat busy street. The little boy was blonde and wearing nothing but a t-shirt and a diaper. Gene said, "That doesn't look right." Gene got out of the car and started talking to the little boy.

He didn't seem to be scared or lost. Gene asked him his name, but he just smiled at him, pointed at the dog and said "Max!" OK, so we knew the dog's name. He took Gene's hand and started walking the opposite way, away from the busy street, so we assumed he lived in one of the houses near Gene. While Gene and the little boy went from house to house, I followed along in my car. A guy in a truck pulled out of his driveway and was heading my way. I flagged him down and asked him if the little boy looked familiar. He said that he had never seen him before. The truck guy, George, then went over and started talking to Gene and the little boy. I drove around the general area to see if anyone was looking for a little boy, asking neighbors who were outside. No luck. I came back and George called the police department.

I deceided to make one more loop around the area. I turned off the street where we found him, took a left onto the busy street. In the driveway of the second house on the right, I saw a VERY pregnant lady and a little girl. The lady was on the phone and she had a panicked look on her face. I rolled my window down and said, "Are you looking for a little boy?" With a very pitiful-sounding voice she said "Yes!" I said, "What was he wearing?" She described his outfit and I said, "We found him, get in the car and I'll take you to him." Holly and her daughter got in the car. She was doing all she could to keep it together and not break down. We got to Sam and Max and she was very relieved, to say the least. She said that she remembered letting the dog out, but she didn't lock the door back. Evidently Sam decided to follow the dog, and they went on a little journey.

As the four of us got back in the car (George loaded Max up in his truck and followed us) I asked Holly when she was due. She said, "Saturday, if not today." Oh, and it's another boy. She thanked me several times as I dropped them off at their house. As I drove away she called her husband to let him know that Sam was OK. I know he had to be relieved.

We've never had that happen with either of our girls, but I can imagine the helpless feeling that this lady had. And if she was thinking ahead to this weekend, she probably had an even more helpless feeling because #3 is coming on Saturday.....if not before.....

PS - Meg and I are heading to Knoxville tomorrow to see UT and Georgia play. CBS is carrying the game, I think it's a national telecast. Look for me on television. Our seats are in the southwest corner of the endzone, about a dozen rows from the field. I'll be wearing orange, you won't be able to miss me.....