There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. She had so many children she didn't know what to do.
Though, she was a homeowner and did not live in a shoe, the remainder of the popular nursery rhyme
certainly struck a chord with Mrs. Crampler. Mother to nine very rambunctious children, she was constantly on the move, trying to juggle all the various 'hats' that come along with parenting.
Supper time was fast approaching. Between laundry doing, shopping and caring for toddler, Marky, Mrs. Crampler had no idea what she would serve the hungry bunch that would soon come storming through her front door after school.
"Ma, I'm famished!" Rachelle vocalized the nagging sentiment that was echoed enthusiastically by her siblings once they entered. It was, of course, the perfect opportunity for a bagel meal from the neighborhood take-out eatery.
The Cramplers piled into the green van. The air was fresh that April afternoon and the good spirits and anticipation of the bagel treat was palpable.
Once inside the shop, it appeared as if everybody in the clan had found their voices at once.
"Mommy, I want a chocolate donut... Mommy, could I choose a milkshake, a vanilla milkshake, Mommy? Mommy, how about a danish? Huh, Mommy, huh? I want soft ice cream, Mommy. I want one with a cone..."
Mrs. Crampler convinced the lot of them that ice cream certainly does have its time and place on occasion, and on this particular evening it would be allowed for dessert only. Putting in their choices of sesame bagels, poppy seed bagels, a couple of whole wheat bagels, tuna, egg salad, vegetable salad and tomato salad, the family proceeded with everyone's foremost choice. As soon as the treasured ice cream was packed away in a separate bag, the noisy bunch marched out, mother in the lead.
"Everyone in the auto?" Mrs.Crampler queried as a matter of route. Off they went back home.
At home, Mrs. Crampler gave out the command to the older siblings. "Set the table. Make sure everyone washes hands before eating. Mrs. Crampler began the tedious task of cutting open the multitude of bagels.
Finally the calm that comes to a big family when everyone is actually eating reigned strong. Mrs. Crampler gazed with pleasure at her brood, sitting so nicely around the table.
Suddenly she noticed that something was not right.
"Where's Marky?" Mrs. Campler's voice took on a high pitch. "Where's Marky?"
In mid-bites everyone stopped eating. Looking around, everyone bore the same perplexed expression. WHERE, INDEED, WAS MARKY?!
"Marky? Marky?" Marky did not answer.
"Quick. Rachelle, see if Marky's upstairs. Suzy, look in the van. Sam, see if Marky's in the basement." Mrs. Campler's panic was escalating as she searched the back yard."
No Marky. NO MARKY!
"Was Marky in the vehicle when we came back?! Rachelle, there's no time to waste! Call the bagel store. He must still be there! Tell them to hold onto him tight! Tell them I'm on my way!"
Mrs. Campler ran out, not waiting another second. Pulling out of the driveway, she lurched onto the street. Marky, sweet Marky... How much time had actually elapsed since the drive to the bagel store? Mrs. Campler's heart was in her throat as she envisioned poor little Marky, terrified, being left alone in the store. What if he had run into the street when he realized the family's departure... chasing after them onto the highway?! Further sobering frightening thoughts entered. Picturing all those lost children posted in Walmart, Mrs. Crampler knew that abductions were a reality. What if? Panic-struck she raced down the streets.
Minutes seemed like hours as the lights turned red at every single intersection. Finally, finally she pulled into the bagel store parking lot. At that moment, in the frantic state of a mother with a lost child, Mrs. Crampler crashed directly into an oncoming exiting car. Ignoring the irate glare of the other driver, she ran out of the van past him, without a word.
"Did you see a little boy... with blond hair and freckles?" The words rushed out in a torrent as Mrs. Crampler made her noisy appearance in the bagel store.
Yells of joy erupted from the guys behind the counter. "We got him! We got him!" they declared triumphantly. They pointed to the end corner of the store.
There, before Mrs. Crampler's eyes, sat Mikey, calm, collected, and cute as ever, surrounded by a woman and a police officer, eating a double layer vanilla ice cream cone! Tear-stained face and all, he had got his way in the end. The vanilla ice cream had been his choice far before any bagel.
Mrs. Crampler's adrenalin slowed down.
Joyously, she ran to her little boy. Hugging and kissing him profusely, the tears in her eyes began to fall.
The police officer looked on bemused as she thanked the kindly woman who had apparently taken Mikey under her wing. "Somehow he got left behind," Mrs. Crampler explained weakly. "This is not going to happen again."
Just as she was about to leave the store, Mrs. Crampler encountered the driver of the other car that she had collided into.
"What about the accident?" he asked with a tone of understanding now that he had witnessed the emotional reunion of mother and lost child.
The police officer interceded, asking for both licenses and auto insurance papers, while jotting down his report.
The official business concluded and Mikey was gingerly placed him in his car seat. Mikey seemed not too bad off in spite of his traumatic experience. He sat quite content and pacified.
Once Mrs. Crampler and Mikey swung into the home driveway, the front door opened and all eight siblings ran to the van. "Mikey! Mikey!" they cried with unmistakable love, "Were you scared, Mikey? Why didn't you follow us into the van? Mikey, come, we saved you the best seat at the table and we prepared the best bagel for you - with tons of pickles!" All of them couldn't stop kissing and hugging their little Mikey.
As Mikey ate, ten pairs of eyes lovingly caressed him. Mikey relished in the attention.
Contemplating it all - the hectic supper arrangements, the discovery that Mikey had been left behind, the subsequent mad dash back to the bagel shop and the mindless accident that she had caused, Mrs. Crampler knew she had much to be grateful for. Mikey had been found safe and sound, after all. And the auto liability insurance that she and her husband had recently procured for quite a low quote would take care of the accident claim.
As she gazed upon her beloved family, Mrs. Crampler - the lady that lived in a home and not a shoe but had so many children that she didn't know what to do - smiled with satisfaction.
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