Do you know what Code Yellow at Zellers means? I didn't either, until last night. Code Yellow at Zellers means "missing child." Yep. When your child seems to have disappeared into thin air, you tell the first store employee that you see, they pick up a phone on a pole in the middle of the store and blast "CODE YELLOW" over the speaker system after describing to their superiors that a five year old boy in a black coat went missing in the toy section.
And how do I know this and why am I telling you this? Why, because it happened to a particular little five year old boy that we know quite well last night, of course! We were at Dad Weinhardt's last night and after supper, Fred took Timothy and Christopher to the mall to pick up some things while Stephen and I stayed at Dad's. They decided to stop and check out the toys in Zellers (whose idea was that, do you think?) on their way out. Timothy and Fred were looking at some basketballs when Fred turned around and realized that Christopher wasn't there any more. He quickly looked through the toy section calling his name, but ... no response. He said his footsteps got a bit quicker and his voice a bit louder, but soon realized that Christopher was no longer in the toy section. He found an employee who called in the missing child report and then announced Code Yellow to the entire store.
Fred said that he checked out the toy section again, but then retraced his steps and went back to the mall entrance of the department store. There was Christopher, standing at the gaping wide opening of Zellers, about ready to walk and disappear into that huge mall! When he saw Fred, he ran to him and burst into tears! He told Daddy that he looked for him and tried, but couldn't find him. By that point, employees had swarmed from all points in the store (I would have liked to have seen that since I can NEVER find any employees in that store on any given day!). All was well when Daddy and son were reunited and they left.
I'm telling you, parenthood can really stress you out at times! Between the Code Yellow experience last night and Stephen's accident at school on Tuesday (that's another story) and all the every day things in between, I'm ready for a quiet week. But that's IMPOSSIBLE! It's the beginning of March Break!
3 comments:
Parenthood is not for the faint of heart! So glad your story ended up with a happy ending. When Aunt Robin was in Akron General Hospital- I had just gotten onto the elevator to go to her room and they had a white alert which closed down all the elevators and put guards on all outside doors. Someone had taken a baby from the nursery! They stopped the woman and retrieved the baby- but it was really frightening!
Boy, does that bring back memories of when we were shopping at a mall near Warren. Christopher's mommy did pretty much the same thing! I thought you were with A.Janet, and she thought you were w/me. Nor were you w/A. Peg or Gram! Boy, did I run looking for you. And, like him, if you couldn't find your mom in the store, she must be in the mall! That's where I found you...just outside the door!! I know the feeling quite well!! Glad it turned out OK for Fred, too.
Oh, Aunt Heidi, that's scary!! I'm glad they caught the woman and saved the baby!
Mom, I don't remember that at all. :) I never even heard this story before, but I'm sure glad you found me!
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