45 Minutes of Hell

Now that my panic attack has slightly subsided, let me tell you what just happened.

My son rides the bus home from school and generally arrives between 3:30 and 3:35. At 3:45 I started to wonder where he was.

3:50 - I started to worry. I called next door to see if he'd gone to my in-laws'. Thoughts of crazy students with guns & my son hiding under a desk in terror & overturned busses with dead children started flowing through my mind.

3:55 - I went outside in hopes of seeing the bus come over the hill. I was met in the yard by an in-law and was informed that there were tornadoes in The Ol' Man's path. This was in addition to the knowledge I received from The Stiletto Mom this morning about gale force winds and hail in his destination point of Texas, which already had me worried.

4:00 - I called the grade school 3 times with no answer and was apparently freaking out because, for the life of me, I couldn't remember a single phone number out of the 4 I have.

4:05 - I tried to find the high school's phone number with no luck. Tried to find the bus driver's number with no luck. Tried to call my mom because I know she has his number... no luck.

4:10 - Called next door again. Called the grade school a few more times and recited the phone numbers that I had written down.

4:15 - I'm fully dressed and ready to go out the door when babysitter comes in.

4:17 - Luigi walks through the front door, we all let out a huge sigh of relief and begin the "Where Were You?!?!?" questioning as well as the ranting about the lack of contact from the school.

Apparently, the bus got stuck in deep mud in someone's drive-way.

4:20 - I try to get hold of hubby. No answer. Try again. No answer. Great!!! A tornado has picked up his truck and slung him who knows where!! He's probably dead. Or hurt and stuck under his truck in a field where no one will find him for days. ANSWER THE PHONE!!!!

4:25 - Hubby finally answers the phone. He says everything's fine. The weather is beautiful. We chat for a minute and he's instructed to call his dad.

4:30 - I remember that while I was outside, I checked the mail and received a package. I retrieve the package and don't recognize the name on it. I open it in anticipation of some wonderful gift that one of my new found blogging friends has sent me. What will it be?? I'm so excited!!!

Parts for a saw?? Meh....... I totally forgot I had ordered chainsaw parts from eBay. Talk about disappointed.

4:45 - All is well in Over Active Imagination Land.
Posted on 4:29 PM by Chris and filed under , , | 17 Comments »

17 comments:

Heather Tull said... @ February 10, 2009 at 5:09 PM

I don't envy you one bit. It's scary when kids are missing for even a second much less 45 minutes. Also, thank you for posting and allowing me to put off my actual work for another five minutes. Bill paying here I come.

Chris said... @ February 10, 2009 at 5:14 PM

You're welcome. Should've left your e-mail addy. Then I could e-mail you and we could eat up another 10 or 20 minutes. LOL

Anonymous said... @ February 10, 2009 at 5:18 PM

That would so be me - I think of the very worst first and it sends me into full-on panic mode. Glad all is well!

Mr. and Mrs. Nurse Boy said... @ February 10, 2009 at 5:37 PM

I am so relieved to know that I am not the only one who does this! I have the most active imagination and it can get me into trouble...otherwise known as a worried frenzy!

Mrs. Nurse Boy

Terri said... @ February 10, 2009 at 8:10 PM

Glad all is well in the end. Been there a few times myself.

Ron said... @ February 11, 2009 at 8:49 AM

That is not a cool feeling at all. Over Christmas when all five of my kids were together we went to the Industry Museum in Chicago which was packed with visitors. Now I can track 2 girls. I can track 3 boys. But 5 kids ranging from ages 9 to 4, two of which have ADD, while two more have no fear and the oldest believes he's of the age where he can walk around on his own - oh and the wife God bless her suffers from real panic attack - ya, that's a bit more challenging. Long story short, two of the boys wandered off. I wasn't freaking on the outside, but for about 30 minutes I was all business hunting them down. Turns out they were right where they said they would be and wanting to know what took me so long. Wheww!

The chainsaw parts in the mail to top it off - classic.

Unknown said... @ February 11, 2009 at 9:30 AM

seriously, I love the way our minds make us even more crazy than we already are...well, I guess I should speak for myself only ;)

Glad everything was ok and everyone is safe!

Michelle said... @ February 11, 2009 at 10:00 AM

I am an over imaginer too! So glad all is well.

Ginny Marie said... @ February 11, 2009 at 12:36 PM

Stupid mud! Darn tornados! Glad everything turned out OK!

thecookie said... @ February 11, 2009 at 3:38 PM

I have to say -- I'd be worried if you DIDN'T panic ... and I'm glad all is well!

Someone said... @ February 12, 2009 at 2:54 PM

How scary!!! When my son was in grade 1, I had dropped him off at school, then they called me 40 min later and asked if he was at home that day. I started freaking out imagining the worst, I told them that he should be there, they put me on hold then came back later to tell me that he was there they just missed him at roll call!! glad your son was ok!

HeatherPride said... @ February 12, 2009 at 4:13 PM

Oh yeah. I'd have been a freak show too. Glad it all worked out ok!

Anonymous said... @ February 12, 2009 at 4:33 PM

Poor you - nearly a whole hour of complete panic. Glad everything turned out ok.

Organize with Sandy said... @ February 13, 2009 at 8:59 AM

Oh my gosh you sound like me!! My poor husband has been "killed" so many times in my mind and my kids have been in car accidents and stuck and in trouble frequently...in my over creative and worrisome mind.
I am glad I am not the only one who goes through this...but you would think that the bus driver would have notified the school and they should have notified the parents in a 45 minute delay.

Val said... @ February 13, 2009 at 8:32 PM

Ugh. Awful. In those moments you are a mess and can't remember anything.

And chainsaw parts! On the day before Valentine's day! My thoughts are going crazy on what you need a chainsaw for!

Unknown said... @ February 14, 2009 at 9:37 AM

Don't you love days like that?

Anonymous said... @ February 14, 2009 at 10:17 PM

I'm just glad you got those chainsaw parts. Buying things over ebay can be sketchy.

Oh, glad to hear about your child being ok as well. :)

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