Jul 09 2011
Lost and Found
On Thursday, Josiah and Abby went with some friends to Kings Dominion Amusement Park. Abby and her friend wandered about together and Josiah ended up as the third wheel to his friend and her boyfriend. The guy didn’t like to ride roller coasters, so Josiah and his friend went on a few rides together. At about 6pm, Josiah decided he was tired of hanging around doing nothing and told them that he was going to go to the water park and would return. He left his backpack with his money and glasses inside. (I had not allowed Josiah to bring his phone because I was worried that he would lose it and he wasn’t wearing a watch because his had broken.)
He went to the water park, rode a roller coaster on the way by and then could not find his way back to his friend, primarily because he cannot see without his glasses. Hence started his grand adventure of being lost in an amusement park without glasses, money, a watch, or a phone. “What to do?” He thought. “Oh, I know…I’ll dash around the park here and there willy nilly, look about a bit, and ride any roller coasters I come across.”
At 9pm, Abby was informed that her brother was nowhere to be found. Her friend was seriously worried for Josiah, “What if something happened to him? Maybe he collapsed or fell ill?” she surmised. “No,” said Abby, “He’s just riding roller coasters.”
At 10pm, the announcement was made that the park was closing. Abby heard this announcement, but Josiah didn’t. Most likely because he discovered that the roller coasters were now lit up and he could ride them in the dark.
Abby tried guest services twice to no avail. She asked if they could make an announcement for her brother. The girl suggested Abby try calling her brother on his cell phone. Abby told her that he didn’t have his phone with him. The worker replied, “You can use our phone to call.” “He is the one without a phone, not me!” Abby responded in exasperation. “Is it a medical emergency?” The worker asked. “I have no idea.” Abby replied. “We can only make an announcement in the event of a medical emergency.” The worker informed Abby. Abby gave up in exasperation.
“Maybe he went to the car,” Abby’s friend said. “He has no idea where the car is,” Abby replied. “Wouldn’t he go to the front and stand and wait?” her friend asked. “No,” Abby said, “He would ride roller coasters.”
There was a concert going on inside the park and when the people began to stream out of the venue towards the gates, Josiah decided that might be a clue that the park was closing and followed them out.
He then went to the lost and found. I surmise he did this to turn himself in. Hoping that later, Abby would take a look through the boxes: “Sunglasses, a Water Bottle, a Cell Phone…Oh, there’s Josiah” and pull him out.
The lost and found informed him that he had to go to guest services to find actual people. He asked where guest services was and they told him it was back in the park. At this point the gates to the park closed behind him. Which was probably for the best since even if he found guest services and not another lit up roller coaster, they would only help him if it was a medical emergency.
He sat down on a bench to think. He did not know Abby’s cell phone number because he just gets Abby’s number from his contact list. The only number he knew was his mom’s number and there was no way he was calling her. Slowly, he got up off the bench and decided he might try to ask if he could get back in the park to go to guest services.
Forty minutes after the park closed, his friend, who had been looking for him for 4 hours, found him. She and her boyfriend were not too happy. Abby was called to let her know that she could finally leave the park, Josiah had been found.
Josiah put his glasses on, the friend’s mom gave him a few snacks, and they all drove home.
If you happen to go to Kings Dominion this summer and you see a kid running around without a clue, kindly walk him over to lost and found and put him in a box for me.
I’ll claim him later.
LOL!
Sounds like you need to put a GPS or ankle bracelet on him. Thank you for sharing the laugh.