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Susan Sovereign
Donnie and Anna were once again at church camp. This was the second session of the summer. At first, Sam and I didn’t think they would go, but both of the children begged so hard that we relented and let them. This meant the twins were lonesome, bored, and whiney. Even though I tried distracting them with crayons, construction paper, paste, and safety scissors, they would only play a short time before demanding that I play something else with them. At this rate, the breakfast dishes would still be on the table when Sam got home from work. Perhaps the answer was to play something with them that would allow me to at least load the dishwasher while we were busy. When Brian suggested hide and seek, it sounded like the answer to my problem. Both twins loved to play this game, quite possibly because they always won. When we first started playing, I would pretend I couldn’t find them. Lately, they were getting good enough at choosing places that sometimes I really couldn’t find them.
It was always my turn to be ‘it’. The twins didn’t enjoy having to hunt for me. They thought Mommy should always be readily available and easy to find, even during a game. We had been playing for about 5 minutes when the front doorbell sounded. Brad and Brian had just hidden, so I went to the door by myself. It was the UPS man with a package for Sam. This was a different person than the regular delivery person. I had never seen him before. He said his name was Jim.
Scrutinizing the label, I tried to decide what Sam could have ordered. Possibly some ‘man’ thing he thought he absolutely had to have, like an automatic battery post cleaner. (I didn’t realize there was such a thing until he ordered and received one.)
The timer on the stove sounded, indicating that my cake should be done. Hustling out to the kitchen, I tested the cake and then set it on the counter to cool. Brian was giggling in the background. He thought he had hidden someplace where I could never find him. I placed the shortening, large mixing bowl, powdered sugar, vanilla, and mixer on the counter, and then called out, “Now where can those twins be? I can’t find them anywhere at all!”
This comment was greeted by more giggling. I decided that it was time to find them. Brian was hiding in the closet. (That’s his favorite hiding place. Two times out of three, that’s where he can be found.) Brad wasn’t in any of his usual hiding places. I began searching in earnest for him, determined to find him immediately if not sooner. After about ten minutes, however, I decided that I better call him in “Free!” This would indicate to him that he had won and that I could not find him.
Although I called out “Free” over and over, he didn’t appear. Quizzing Brian had no positive results. He just kept saying that Brad was hiding where I’d never find him. I was beginning to think he was right. I searched high, I searched low, and I searched in between. Where could that little scoundrel be? After about another 20 minutes with no positive results, I panicked! As far as I’m concerned, when I have a problem with no way that I can see to solve it, the only answer is to call Sam. I called him.
At first, Sam thought I was only teasing. He said that if anyone kidnapped one of the twins, they’d bring them back before very long. Then he asked how in the world I managed to lose a child when I hadn’t been away from the house all day. I didn’t know quite how to answer that one. I’d been trying to figure it out myself.
Meanwhile, Brad had climbed into the back of the UPS truck while the Jim was talking with me. There was a nice soft blanket and pillow in the back of the truck (No, I don’t know why.), so Brad curled up and was soon fast asleep. Jim got into the truck and drove off, unknowingly taking Brad with him.
After an hour or so, and numerous stops later, Brad awakened. He called out that he’d like a drink of water. Jim was startled to hear that small voice from the back of the van. He slammed the brakes on and dashed around the van, opened the back door, and lifted Brad from inside and set him on the ground.
Brad has never been afraid of a stranger, especially one who offered him a candy bar. Jim asked Brad what his name was. Brad looked intently at the man and said, “I don’t know what your name is. I’ve never seen you before!” The man at first was confused, and then explained he wanted to know what Brad’s name was. Brad replied, “Brad.” Jim asked what his last name was. Brad said that was the last and only name he ever owned.
Since obviously this line of questioning wasn’t going to get much information, Jim asked Brad what his Daddy’s name was. Brad crunched away on the candy bar, got a mouthful, and said, “Daddy.”
“No, what I mean is, what’s his first name?” he quizzed.
“His first name is Daddy!” Brad insisted.
Jim decided he would try another tact. “Where do you live?”
Brad looked at him as if the man weren’t too intelligent, crossed his chubby little legs, and said, “I live at home.”
By now Jim was getting worried. He was concerned that someone would think he had kidnapped Brad, only he hadn’t a clue who that someone could be. There were children at most of the stops he had made. He decided that perhaps if he tried different questions, the little tyke might be able to tell him something that would help to get him back home.
“Has Mommy and Daddy ever told you your address? You know, like the city and state you live in?”
“Yep,” answered Brad. However, he didn’t expand on this comment.
“Well, what did they say your address was?” he queried eagerly.
“Daddy says we live in the state of confusion most of the time,” Brad retorted sincerely. “I’m hungry,” he declared.
The only food in the van was more candy and a soft drink. Fearing that Brad might not know how to unwrap the sweet confections, he peeled the wrapper off and held it out to Brad. Brad clamped down on the candy. Unfortunately, he also managed to clamp down on Jim’s fingers. He bit hard enough to almost draw blood. Jim jerked his fingers back, unfortunately taking the candy, too. This caused Brad to begin crying and sobbing loudly. He quickly gave the candy back to Brad who immediately ceased his wailing.
By this time, Jim was getting desperate. This was his first day on a new job, and he didn’t want it to be the last. He called in on his radio to the home office and asked if they had any suggestions. At first, the people at the office thought he was joking and began teasing him about picking up unauthorized packages. The poor man didn’t know what to do. At last he lost his temper and screamed, “I AM NOT JOKING. I HAVE A LITTLE BOY IN THE BACK OF MY VAN AND I DON’T KNOW WHERE HE CAME FROM!!!” That was when they began to take him seriously.
The dispatcher asked him to describe the little boy. The route man replied, “He’s short, has brown eyes, blonde hair and lots of real sharp teeth. I’d guess him to be about 3 or so. I don’t think he was in the van when I left this morning. As a matter of fact, I didn’t know he was in the van until about five minutes ago!”
The dispatcher said, “Now calm down, Jim. I’ll start calling the places you’ve delivered to this morning. Read me a list of where all you’ve been.”
When Jim started down the list, he read each name slowly and distinctly, pausing in between people. The Sovereign’s were about the sixth place he read. The dispatcher excitedly said, “Whoa! They have twin boys about that age. I’ll give them a call right now. Hold on!”
Susan grabbed the phone on the first jingle. “Hello, hello! Brad! Brad! Is that you?”
The dispatcher said, “No, Ma’am, it isn’t Brad. My name is Charlie, but I think I might know where Brad is if he’s a little boy about 3.”
“My baby! Do you have my baby? Is he all right? Where is he? Why did you take him? Can you bring him right home or shall I come get him?”
The dispatcher finally managed to break in and tell her that Brad was in the delivery truck and that he would be returned to her in about an hour.
It would be difficult to say who was happier when Brad got home. It might have been Susan. It might have been Sam. It might have been Brad, but I truly think that it was more than likely the UPS deliveryman who was the happiest.
