Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Panic at the Beach


Okay, I have been accused too many times, especially from my boys, of being too uptight. So, Today when I lost sight of my youngest son at the beach, I tried to remain calm. This was my first trip to the beach this summer. I was looking forward to total relaxation, total detoxification. As soon as we arrived he said " I'm going in" and before I could gather my thoughts to tell him all the usual Mom warnings ( Make sure you remember this umbrella/ Remember we are on this side of the concession stand/ Don't go out too far / check back with me soon - He was gone.
I stood by the water trying to find him with no luck, so I started walking- trying to figure out which way the tide was drifting. Some people drifted east some west. So I walked both ways. No luck. I returned to our chairs and fellow moms, (all so kind) said he didn't return. Now tell me, how long would it take you to panic? Am I a total NUT like my 3 boys think I am? After an hour and fifteen minutes of walking and searching, I spoke to the life guard. He called the others on his walkie talkie to keep an eye out for my sons description. after another 30 minutes, I was beginning to seriously panic. I went to the main lifeguard stand, where they called the police. I have No idea what they would have done, besides, maybe give me an oxygen mask. No sooner, did they call them, that their radio informed them that my surfer boy had returned to our chairs! So they give me a ride back, in their little beach jeep. The few moms I had spoke to earlier kept running up to the jeep to tell me- "they've found him!" (God bless all Moms, we really feel for each other) Well, of course my little guy didn't walk down to the nude beach as the lifeguards suggested. He wasn't wandering totally lost as i feared. He was just jumping waves, swimming and having a 13 year old Ball! He drifted pretty far away, but he said "of course I knew the way back, I'm not like 8, Mom"
He was so shocked by what had happened and of course he looked at me like I was,- as my son nick likes to exaggerate-crrrrraaaazzzzyy!! No, I didn't break his legs, I didn't kill him. I just had a long talk with him and then we actually stayed and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon constantly waving to each other across the sand.

4 comments:

Nancy Wetmore-Mathews said...

I always flip out about that stuff. I think you handled it very very well!

Anonymous said...

You handled the incident wonderfully. Because I, myself, can't swim - I'm afraid I would have acted like a lunatic. Bravo, Lucy!

Anonymous said...

motherhood is really overrated sometimes...

Karen said...

My daughter used to hide in the circular clothes racks at stores, the first time scared me to death. Glad you found him and all is well again.