The Tale of a Lost Pig | A Story for Rachel

 

Five days after your second birthday, you and your mother ran errands before the big trip to Denver scheduled the following week. Of course Pig went too because he goes everywhere you go!  Pig is your best friend, your favorite snuggle buddy and a member of your family.

Mom had several stops to make—the courthouse, the bank, the hospital and finally the grocery store. When you got back home it was time for a nap. And who do you need when you’re taking a nap? Pig, of course! But he wasn’t there.  He wasn’t in the car, or in the big leather bag mom carries for you, or in your room. He was gone!

So your mother called all of the places you went to on the morning errands and asked if anyone had turned in a Pink Pig. “No.” Everyone said, “No” every single time. Your mother called me, your Auntie Em, and told me everywhere you had been. She was upset and worried because Pig was missing. You finally went down for your nap, but not before asking for Pig over and over.  Your mom called me again still worried that Pig was gone forever. She knows how much you love him. So I told her I would go look for him.

My first stop was Dillon’s. No one there had seen Pig. The girl behind the counter even chuckled at me when I told her I was looking for a pink pig. She took down your mom’s information and promised to call if Pig turned up. As I left I pictured you walking down an aisle and giggling as you set pig on shelf next to a box of cereal and walking away. Knowing I wouldn’t find Pig in the aisles, I went out to the parking lot and looked under cars and in shopping cart stalls, but there was no sign of Pig anywhere.

Your mom called again, even more upset because she didn’t know how to tell you that Pig was gone. He was in all of your family photos, he was your pal when things weren’t going your way and she knew you would miss him so much. So I went on to the hospital. The sympathetic receptionists at the front desk sent me up to lost and found. Up on the fifth floor, the lady was kind enough to unlock the cabinet and sort through forgotten items even though she knew no one had turned in a pink pig.

Then I saw it!  A clear, plastic, garbage bag was sitting on the top shelf with something pink inside. I was overwhelmed with excitement! I thought, NO WAY was it this easy to get Pig back!!  But when the lady handed me the bag, I realized it was only a folded pink blanket and not Pig at all. I was so disappointed, but there was another place to check before I left the hospital.

More determined than ever, I marched down to Medical Records, armed with my iPhone to show those ladies the photo I took of you sitting in my red rocking  chair, holding Pig when you were 18 months old. They smiled warmly, shook their heads, and said they would call if he turned up.

I knew the hospital was a bust, but before I drove away, I looked in the parking lot under cars and next to light poles, praying all the while that Pig would be laying there waiting to be scooped up. No Pig there either. Feeling defeated, I moved on to the bank.

The bank was chaos from the moment I walked through the door. There were a couple of dozen people standing in the lobby waiting to be helped and all I wanted was to ask if they had a pink pig tucked away somewhere. After standing in a line that did not budge for 15 minutes, I finally caught the attention of an older gentleman wandering around the lobby. He was wearing a “First Bank” shirt, so I stopped him and said I had a strange question.

He replied, “Well I haven’t had a very good day answering questions but I’ll do my best!”  I showed him the picture on my iPhone and asked him if he had seen Pig. He told me he was sorry but he would have to ask for assistance because he didn’t know the answer. I smiled, stood patiently in my place and watched him cross the room and step behind the counter.  He bent down and quietly asked a younger man about my strange inquiry. When I saw him nod his head and point to a corner office, I let out a gasp of disbelief and excitement. I noticed most of the people in lobby were staring at me.  I didn’t care because as I started across the lobby to the corner office, a woman met me half way and handed me your prized Pig.

I must have looked rather ridiculous when I exclaimed my happiness and hugged Pig while I thanked the older gentleman and woman again and again. I told them that Pig was a big part of your family and you would be so thrilled to have him back.

The older gentleman smiled and said “Yay! I got one right! I knew this was going to work out when I noticed you’re wearing a K-State shirt!”

I thanked them all again and headed to your house. You were still napping when Pig returned home and there was peace in the world again. Well there was peace at 1510 West 17th at least. And that is the tale of how a lost Pig was found.