What a day! - LOST

Macy’s elevator was packed almost to the overload limit. I had been one of the first on and was pushed to the rear wall. My stop was to be the third floor. As I tried to get thru something, someone, groped my leg. On my left was a gray bearded man, long curls twisting from his sideburns.  His large black hat cleared away any doubts I might have had. I could recognize and orthodox Jew from twenty five yards away. My parents’ parents lived the holy life but it wasn’t for my parents, nor for me. We became agnostics. The bearded Jew could not possibly be the groper.  Two gabbing ladies intent on reaching the lunch room before it became over-crowded, weren’t feeling my leg either. They got off and I spotted the feeler, a child, or maybe a midget with   reddish-blond hair, green eyes, a fresh pinafore dress and Mary Jane black buttoned shoes was the culprit. Taking a wild guess, I figured her to be 3 years old. Darn, I had missed my floor, got thru the thinning group on five.

 

The child had hold of my skirt, looked up at me and tearfully said, ‘My Mommie is lost.’ Adorable or not, I wasn’t her Mommie, or anybody’s Mommie. I told her to get lost like her Mommie did. She cried harder. ‘Sorry, Kid, I came to buy new pillows not be a nursemaid.’ The child didn’t let go of my skirt. ‘’What’s your name, little girl?’ I asked. She must not have heard me so I asked again. Her tiny voice answered, ‘Annie.’ Progress. ‘When did your Mommie get lost, Annie?’ There was silence. There was no choice. My arms went around her. ‘Come with me, Annie. Let’s go find her.’

 

At the first cashier’s desk I interrupted the clerk’s ring-up. ‘This little girl’s mother got lost. Will you please contact the right place so her mother will come here for her? I have things to do, not be a nurse maid.’ The nasty cashier replied, ‘So do I. I am waiting on a customer and you and the child can be patient.’ My temper was rising near the boiling point. The careless customer couldn’t find her charge plate so the cashier had to get other identity, call in for approval, while I paced the floor. Annie stood next to me, still holding on to my skirt. I turned my attention to the customer and asked her to please let the cashier take care of the child. Her answer was, ‘I have things to do too. Let the little girl wait.’

 

I gritted my teeth, barely held on to my wrath and walked to the next station. It was unattended. Annie looked up at me, tried to whisper, I have to make wee wee.’ Just what I needed. ‘Hold it, Annie. We’ll find a place.’ Not ten feet away I saw an arrow on the wall leading to the rest rooms. The perfumed odor immediately nauseated me. But I managed to get to a booth, cover the seat with toilet paper like my mother taught me to do, and lift Annie up. All of the tissue went into the toilet. Her pink panties were around her ankles and still dry. ‘Thank you, Lord,’ I mumbled. Annie was trained. She went directly to the sink and spread her hands for me to wash them. The little girl definitely has a mother someplace.

 

My shopping trip was curtailed. The pillows would have to wait. Around the bend where Jones NY was on display, were two salesladies and a gentleman wearing a Macy tag with ‘ Mr. Dunlop, Manager’ scrolled in red. ‘Excuse me, Mr. Dunlop but you are just the person I need to see. ‘This little girl, her name is Annie, told me her mother got lost. Would you please announce over the store emergency line that Annie is looking for her mother? I don’t even know Annie’s last name.’ Mr. Dunlop asked her if she has two names. She shook her head ‘yes.’ Well, what is it, Child?’ ‘Dat.’ ‘Annie Dat,’ she answered. Of course, none of us thought that could be her name but it was  all we had. ‘Annie,’ I asked,’ do you have one more name?’ This time she answered, ‘Honey. Mommie calls me Honey.’

 

The manager called his office and got things rolling. The message came out with too much static. My ‘ ward’ and I were taken to the Security office where the sound system was cleared. We sat and waited and waited for Mrs. Dat to appear. Several ladies came in to tell us they saw an excited woman running around the store, calling for Annie, saw her go out the door about 10 minutes ago. Without rapping, a harried, frantic woman almost fell into the office. Her hair was wild. Her face was lined with exhaustion. Annie ran to her. ‘Mommie, why did you get lost?’

 

‘Mrs. Dat, Annie was holding my leg on the elevator and must have thought I was you. She was very frightened and wouldn’t let go of me. She thought you were lost. I couldn’t leave her on the elevator so we both went looking for you ‘

 

After calming down and thanks were given, Annie’s mother asked me why I called her Mrs. Dat?’  ‘Annie told us that was her second name and Honey was her third. Mr. Dunlop and I opted for ‘Dat’ because Honey didn’t sound right either.’

 

‘Thank you again. The family name is Dataria, too much for my three year old to say.’ She turned to Annie, took her hand and said, ‘Let’s go home, Honey and you can practice saying Dataria.’

 

They left me feeling happy but drained. Mr. Donlop gave me a gift certificate for two pillows of my choice, value $50. I still had time to make a selection.