I'm not a big fan of going to Wal-Mart, period. I always look for alternatives, and the fact that today is Saturday made me wish all the more I could go somewhere else. However, I had to pick up a prescription and we need to do some cooking since it's our day to bring refreshment for Sunday school tomorrow. At first, nobody wanted to go with me. I was getting ready to leave when I asked my oldest daughter if she needed anything. "Oh Dad," she said. "I'll just come with you." As we started out the door, my two younger kids began begging to go. I tried to put them off by saying I would take them next time. My Little Guy then began screaming and crying and my Baby Girl soon joined in. My wife told me that since our exit was so ungraceful that we were going to have to take them. My newly minted teenager and I waited out in the SUV and the younger ones came trotting out. I knew it was a mistake even before I made it out of the subdivision. My trio was already fighting amongst themselves. Our first watch was the battery store. My wife and MIL had several watches that needed new batteries. My Baby Girl was soon telling she had "to go potty." We had only been gone from home for a few minutes, and I was not pleased. They are supposed to take care of those things before they leave the house. We got the batteries into all the watches a lot quicker than I figured. The shopkeeper was kind enough to let everybody use the bathroom so we were off to Wal-Mart. I told the children that I had a shopping list from their mother and that we were not here to buy toys. If they would behave themselves, I might get them a treat at the check-out lane, but that would be it. I was thankful that I got my prescriptions with ease. It's not a given being that we were going on a Saturday afternoon. There were a couple of other items on the list from the area surrounding the pharmacy. I called my wife and the cell and turned my back on my Baby Girl. Upon completing the call, I turned my head and she was gone. I wasn't too upset at first because I figured she was with her brother and sister. Once I spotted both of them, and she was not with them, I got a bit irked. We spread out and started the search. The most important thing was to remain calm. I felt a combination of anger and fear as I searched for my errant 3-year-old. My efforts were complicated by the throng of people. Our Wal-Mart is always packed on Saturdays even UT is playing on TV as they were this day. One of the store workers who was behind a counter saw me searching and suggested that I get them to lock down the store if I didn't find her soon. I searched the toy section and was going to look at the video games until I heard an announcement over the Intercom. My Baby Girl's full name was being used. Her parents were being summoned to Customer Service. Admittedly, I was a bit embarassed as I headed that way. However, I was more relieved than anything. I found her in the company of two older women workers. One of them said she had found her wondering in the book section. "She's very smart," one of the ladies told me. "She knew her parents' names and said we could call her Mother." Of course, I snatched her up. I thanked the ladies and apologized for the inconvenience she no doubt caused. I got my kids together and told them that I was very upset. They'd better tow the line during the rest of this shopping trip or it would months before they would see Wal-Mart again. At that point, I figured the worst was behind me. I would finish the list and get the heck out of there. I thought wrong. After we were reunited, the Little Guy got his eye on a Littlest Pet Shop figure. He began to cry loudly as we trudged toward the grocery section. My first instinct was to put the thing in the cart to humor them. Of course, that would obligate me to buy everybody something, and it would also show weakness. No, I had to say no this time. It was a slow trek across Wal-Mart. I carried the Little Guy then I would put him down and his older sister would try to drag him. I fought the temptation of looking like one of those white trash parents who beats their kid in Wal-Mart. It was Saturday and there was no place where somebody wasn't watching so I could not slip off somewhere and give him a well-earned spanking. Finally, I plopped him in the seat while he was still screaming. I quietly growled at hime that he'd better stay there or he would be in deep trouble. The Little Guy finally calmed down. Once he regained a civil tone, he wanted to try the polite approach to get his toy. It was not going to happen. I did let them get a ring pop as I checked out. He stopped his pouting once he got the candy and we were quickly gone. By this time, I was admittedly flustered. It took me a couple of minutes to find the SUV and get home. I knew I had to tell my wife and was not looking forward to her reaction. However, I knew it was better for me to tell her and come clean than to have one of the kids tell her. I did remind her that it was her idea. It was my only defense. |