Journeys:2: Lost and Found

Everytime I step out of the house, it is nothing short of an adventure. Bad precedent set early on in life did that I think.
The first time ever my parents left me alone for 5 mins was when I was about 3 years old. Do they regret it or what?! I have been known to have taken an affinity to the outdoors ever since. Well.... at least until after my undergrad college.

Let me start at the beginning. I was 3 and we lived in a small town in Western India. It was the day of the annual function at my sister's school. We were all very excited since she was to recieve 1st prize for Runnins Race at the function. Dad was gonna come to school straight from work. So mum and us daughters got ready and were about to lock up the house when I insisted I get to do the deed. So mum handed the lock to me and waited at the gate.

So here I was busy dealing with the lock, when I heard mum and sis walk out to the street. Now the street was a short path down from the door. And if I remember right their were some hedges lining the compound too. For about half a minute I was hearing voices in the street but couldn't see anyone. And since I had gotten myself into the situation by choice, I had to figure out how to lock up also na! So by the time I got done figuring out the lock and doing the needful there was absolute silence outside.

Out sautered lil me to find the whole family had ditched me and gone ahead. At least that's the conclusion my beautiful mind came to!!

I was to find out later that the neighbour's kid had gotten back from the hospital after some illness and mum n sis dropped in to see how she was doing.
But then genius me concluded they had just started walking ahead and I was supposed to catch-up. I ran up to the street corner, still no mum n sis. So I went a little furthur, still no one. By this time I had reached the local panwala/cycle repair kinda shop [my memory eludes me] and looking every bit the lost child about to spill her treasure of pearly tears.

Nice man at shop came up to me and asked me who I was and where was home and such. Now bright lil kiddo that I was, I gave him the whole story, didn't leave out anything. Which went something like this;
"My sister studies in the local KV. It is their annual function today. She is supposed to get a prize. My family left me and went ahead. I dont know how to get there. booo hooo hooo!!!!!"

Nice man at shop also had a bicycle with him. Asked me if i knew how to get there or where the school was. Now I had been to the school only a coupla times with my parents. But the photographic memory of roads which does not extend to people or incidents was put into use the first time ever! I told him a coupla landmarks for the school. It was next to a big water tank. Surprisely Nice Man knew where that was, dumps me on the bicycle bar and cycles all the way to school.

By the time we get there it had started to get dark and I was getting increasingly upset about not finding my family. Once we got there bright man took me upto the stage, held me up and announced my name hoping someone would come get me!

Meanwhile mom and sis came outta neighbour's house to find me gone. Suffice to say mum went beserk with worry. Called dad at work and he came home too. After considerable searching and registering a complaint and such Dad decided to go check at the school anyway.

Imagine his surprise when he reached the school and one of the teachers [Chandan Madam] came upto him with self in tow!!

Apparently we had been to this particular teacher's house just the night before to verify some function related question and she had seen me. So when the guy held me up on the stage she recognized me and kept me with her till dad got there.

Anonymous nice man had gone home after doing his good deed for the day.

PS: we did go back to the function with sis later, just in time for "jana gana mana...." :D