How we ever made it this far is a mystery. Lately there have been too many stories of children being abducted leading me to wonder was my mother trying to lose me? We lived in a ratty student ridden apartment complex near LSU until I was eight. I rode my bike through the complex, roller skated the walkways, went swimming in the community pool, all out of the sight of my parents.
There was one time my mother followed me but that was because in the midst of a brat attack brought about by not getting my way I announced I was running away. Forget the leaving a note behind and sneaking away in the middle of the night. I found it was much more dramatic to announce one’s departure then proceed to pack the one item I needed most- my security blanket. I didn’t have a suitcase, bike, or car at this point so I packed blanky in my plastic Fisher Price ATV that you rode on top of and steered with a yellow plastic wheel that had an air horn in the middle. Off I went as fast as my legs could peddle. My mother, not wanting to ruin my obvious joy at making her suffer the thought of a life without me, followed a safe distance behind. When I reached the main road she simply stated “Alright Jacqueline that’s far enough”. Without fuss I turned around and peddled home confident that she wouldn’t dare risk telling me no ever again. Wrong.
There weren’t very many children in our complex so I became accustomed to approaching adults as potential playmates. Once my mother found me in a strange man’s apartment trying on his many female wigs. I saw nothing wrong with the exchange and appreciated the chance to play dress up with real wigs. How long it took her find me I have no idea but now you see what I mean by was she trying to lose me?