Panic...

A few weeks ago, we headed to Starkville for the State/Alabama game.  We rented a house and took Sam with us.  Our plan was to tailgate all day, and then Anthony would run us back to the house before kick-off.

All was going well. Sam was a sweet boy, he played well with others, and was in a good mood.  And then it got dark.  And my child disappeared. 

Serious, horrible, panic ensued.  One minute he was sitting in a chair playing a game, and within seconds he disappeared.  We looked around the tailgate thinking that he had gotten up to play, but we could not find him in the immediate area.  Our entire tailgate began to look for him.  I searched the bathrooms, a friend stopped campus police, but we still couldn't find him.  I truly began to freak out.  All those episodes of Criminal Minds that I watch didn't help matters. 

He was gone for a good 10-15 minutes, which doesn't sound like a lot, but when it's dark and there are tons of people milling around, it's an eternity.  A friend of ours went back to the ladies room (for a total of 3 times) when she spotted him and brought him back to the tailgate.  By that point, I was in tears. 

He received a thorough talking to by his father, and we were able to breathe a sigh of relief.  Later that evening, I found out what happened.  Sam has a tendency to wait until the very last minute to go the bathroom.  Apparently, it hit him that he had to go, and he had to go right then, so he bolted.  The bathroom is a good 20 yards from where we tailgate, and I honestly can't believe he remembered where to go.  He is only 3 after all. 

I asked him what took him so long because I was trying to figure out why I never saw him when I went to check the bathroom myself. 

Me:  "Sam, where did you go to the bathroom?"
Sam:  "I went where all the mommies were."
Me:  "What did you do in the bathroom?"
Sam:  "I tee-tee and I poo-poo."

At that point I realized why I didn't see him.  He was in a stall for an extended period of time.  And then I thought...

Me:  "Sam, did you wipe your booty?"
Sam:  "No, a lady wiped it."
Me:  "What!!??
Sam:  "A lady wiped it for me."
Me:  "Did she say anything to you?"
Sam:  "She told me to wash my hands."

In summary, he bolted from the tailgate, cruised past an enormous line of women waiting for the restroom,  went to the bathroom, and got a seriously nice lady to wipe his bottom.

Lady, whoever you are, I thank you.  I promise to pay it forward.