When I the grandkids found out that I had been to Disney World — without them — well, what could I do except try to make it up to them?

So that’s how the weekend at Dollywood — with grandchildren — came about.

I’m too old for that. If I wanted to go to amusement parks, I should have stayed young. Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option on the menu.

It wouldn’t be so bad if I could keep up with people. But somehow my honey seems to keep getting himself lost. Of course, to hear him tell it, it’s everyone else that is lost. He knows exactly where he is.

He reminds of a time when my kids were small and my son got lost at an amusement park. We all got on a ride, and when we looked around to count noses, my son was missing.

A lost child is a parent’s worse nightmare. I imagined all sorts of terrible things, but there was no way to get off the ride and search until it was over. We found him at the “lost children” center, eating an ice cream cone.

Ever since then I’ve been nervous about being separated from people in a crowd. My kids are the ones with tags pinned to their shirts with their name, address, and phone number on them, just in case.

Now I have to worry about losing my honey, who is a grown man. Thank goodness for cell phones so we can call each other if we become separated.

At Universal Studios in Florida, we were all walking along together when honey stopped to take a picture. The logical thing would be for him to continue walking down the street until he caught up with everyone.

He didn’t.

When we realized he was not with us, we stopped and waited. We tried to call his cell phone, but his battery was dead. Well, he’s a grown man. Surely he would realize that he was lost, find a phone somewhere and call us.

He didn’t.

Since the place was closing down for the day, we decided to go to the gate and wait. We wondered if there was a place for lost grownups to go. Surely he would know not to leave the park without us.

He didn’t.

He waited for us outside the gate. Finally, he saw us inside. “Where did you guys go?” he asked.

So, you can imagine my panic when we walked into the park at Dollywood and honey disappeared the moment we were inside the gate. Surely, after the Universal Studios incident, he remembered to charge his phone this time.

He didn’t.

When he eventually found us again, we made emergency plans to meet at the fountain if we became separated. We spent a lot of time at the fountain.

I don’t know why it is that he can’t seem to remember to charge his phone and can’t seem to stay with the rest of the group. Maybe he hopes that someone will find him and give him an ice cream cone.

I’ve had other people tell me stories of becoming separated from children in department stores or crowds. Usually, it is one problem child that seems to have a knack for getting away from them.

Did I mention the time honey jumped on the transit subway at the airport just as the door slammed, leaving me standing on the platform? I didn’t think so. I try to forget that little fiasco.

All I know is that the next time we go anywhere with large crowds, my honey will be the one wearing the name tag with his name, address, and my cell phone number on it.

Copyright 2008 Sheila Moss