Bud and I had left Sis and Mama at the ped's and gotten home about 15 minutes earlier. So, my keys--the ones with my car keys--could only be lost at home.
Bud had wanted to play outside, to chase around the purple balloon that was tied to the velcro on his tennis shoes. And he had me chase him around trying to catch the balloon. It was then I transferred my keys from my right, swatting hand, to my left hand around the ring finger.
But now we were in the backyard on the deck and the keys were gone. Had I put them down to tighten the laces on my shoes? No. Had I put them on the porch when I fetched my phone? No. Had I put them down when I relocated the Texas windsock on the laundry line? No.
Gone.
I told Bud he could have all the change in my purse if he found my keys. As he raced around, I called Mama to tell her not to go fill any prescriptions they might get but to call me first. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Not in the grass, not in the car, not on the deck, not on the porch. No keys.
Mama showed up; she and Sis, with her own pink balloon tied to the velcro of her tennis shoes, joined the search. Though, Sis didn't think it was fair that I give all my change to the finder. "You won't have any money, Mom." Soon, Mama handed me a keyring, wisely devoid of keys, and had me retrace my steps. The kids watched, enthralled. I put my purse and our tote on the porch. I chased Bud around the yard. I tightened the laces on my shoes. I pretended to move the windsock on the laundry line.
"No, really do it." And so I hauled in the windsock.
And there, caught in the strings attaching it to the laundry line, were my keys, dangling above the yard.
None of us could believe it, both that I found my keys and that retracing my steps really worked.
"But who gets the money, Mom?" Sis queried.
And so I let them split it.
But I should've given the coins to Mama, who wisely entoned, "Tracing your steps works if you actually retrace all your steps."
Not always, I drove to a house, took out my car keys and did my bit of business, then could not find my keys. I retraced, I emptied every pocket, other people retraced. NIX. It was a while back and I was able to go 2 miles and buy another key. The original never did turn up.
ReplyDeleteRented a car in Maui, only one key, tied it to my swimming costume and with M walked along the sand to the sea...suddenly no car key...must be on the way back to the car over half a mile of sand....followed my own footprints backwards and
FOUND. Then I went windsurfing and broke a mast, nothing between me and South America 3000 miles away but I was wearing pyjamas (to keep off the sun) so they did as a sail (much better than a bra).