Little Girl Lost (based on true happening)

                                                     LITTLE GIRL LOST


I wasn't used to hustle and bustle, or crowds of people, or crowds of shops.

I was used to long hours of boredom, quietness, and slow-moving farm days.


 When I was six my parents drove the long dusty journey to the city to visit my grandparents. On the second day my mother took me to a big city shop, McDonnell and East, where there were lots of ladies dressed up in best hats, best shoes and best dresses. They all carried handbags; Mum did too. I had on my black patent-leather shoes and white socks.

I was fascinated by all the things you could buy--bright jugs and plates, pretty glass vases in startling shiny colours, and pretty little ornaments! But most of all I wanted to ride on the escalators. It looked simple enough. All you had to do was go up....... and come down. And what fun!

I pleaded with Mum, "Please Mum, please.... I can do it by myself. I'll just go up there, and then I'll come back down. I'll be all right--please!"

She relented.

I went up. I looked around. I saw more escalators. I thought, 'I can do that. I'll go up again.' I had great fun.

Then I ran out of escalators!

'Maybe I'm back where I started.' But Mum wasn't there. I felt fear. I was alone, and I couldn't see Mum anywhere. I went up again; I came down again. But everything looked different. I couldn't find that escalator -- the one I originally came upon. It had looked so easy.

I searched again. Mum was nowhere! I tried to look appealingly at the ladies as they hurried by. They didn't give me a second glance. They were all intent on their shopping. They all knew where they were going. No one else looked lost, or couldn't find the escalators.

I was bewildered but I was too shy to speak to anyone because they might think I was terribly rude, and silly for getting lost.

I felt sick in the stomach, and was starting to panic. I wanted so desperately to find my mum.

Obviously I needed help from somebody, but I wondered who was going to feel sorry for a silly country girl who got lost.

I hung my head and I cried.

A lady stopped. "Oh goodness -- what's wrong dear?"

I cried, "I've lost my mother."

Another lady came, "Can't you find your mother, dear?"

"She's on the floor under here," I sobbed, pointing to the floor.

"No dear, there is no floor under this one," the first lady informed me.

"You're in the basement, here," the second one agreed.

I was shocked. How on earth did I get into the basement?!

Then suddenly, there she was -- Mum was at the top of the escalator.The first lady insisted on taking me right to the top, back to my mother.

"I knew you'd get lost." said my mother.

‘Oh, no! Why did she have to say that?’