Roundabout

Published 10:37 pm Thursday, August 28, 2008

A hectic summer

Summer has been busy, lots of fun activities and things that take us away from the house.

Last Sunday morning, everyone was home after a week spent off in a few different directions. I’d been away from the younger kids, and since we’d been home they had taken to following me around, chatting non-stop about what I’d missed. After an active week at girls’ camp, I was starting to feel like I needed a little Alone Time.

The day promised to be warm and sunny. I headed to the shower, leaving Dirk and two of the kids talking in my room. The last thing I heard as I closed the door was Dirk saying he was going to go water the hanging flower baskets.

My shower was nice and quiet. No one knocked at the door and asked what I was doing, or when I was coming out.

When I opened the door, my room was vacant. So nice! I tidied up a bit, enjoying the quiet. Then I headed down the hall.

My, I thought, what’s everyone doing? The house is so quiet!

“Hello!” I called downstairs. There was no reply. I went down and looked around.

The downstairs was empty, and I saw no one out the windows. I went back upstairs to check the other bedrooms, and found they were empty too. Where had Dirk and all five children gone during my 20-minute shower?

I put my shoes on and went outside, curious. I couldn’t hear anyone, couldn’t see anyone down the road. Both cars were there.

“Hello!”

I heard a noise: Drip, drip, drip. The hanging baskets had been watered.

Had they gone for a walk? They’d never all gone without me before. It didn’t make sense. Surely there was some logical and very ordinary explanation.

Back inside, I looked for a note, but saw nothing.

The thought flitted into my head that there may have been a nuclear disaster, and anyone not in water had been melted or something. I made myself look on the floor for puddles. People puddles.

Outside again, I stood listening to the utter silence around me. Not even an airplane in the distance, and if there were birds, they were being quiet.

Strangely quiet.

Possibly other-worldly quiet.

Alien body snatching?

“You are about to enter another dimension,” ran a voice in my head. “A dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind … Next stop –”

Silly, of course. Probably I should just not wonder, just enjoy it. Why should I assume something bad, something frightening, something beyond the realm of normalcy and safety? The thing to do, obviously, was to sit down, relax with a book, and breathe.

Breathe.

Surely there was a simple explanation. Or, maybe Jacob had wandered off and they were all out, far from home, looking for him, and waiting for me to help!

Adrenalin suddenly pumping, I ran and grabbed the car keys, jumped in, and started driving down the road.

After about 20 feet, I stopped. Jenna and Jacob were strolling around the corner together, coming home. Then Libby and Megan came into view, then Cassidy and Dirk. What a relief it was to see them coming, to appreciate seeing my dear ones, whom I had worried were lost or melted.

How sweet of Dirk to take the kids for a walk and give me a few minutes of quiet time.

It took all of three seconds for those feelings of love and gratitude to drain. I began drumming my fingers on the steering wheel, angry at myself.

Dang it! I’d missed my five minutes of Alone Time.

Denise Roundy lives and worries herself sick in Kingston.