Time to padlock the front door! Some of you may recall that a year or so ago we had a slight problem with small children escaping through the front door at very inconvenient times. We solved this issue with a lock installed on the inside of the door juuuuuust high enough so that Edward could not reach it. By the time he grew tall enough to unlock the door, he was old enough to not disappear through it anymore. Until today apparently.
I don’t know how long he was outside, because I was in the shower, but it can’t have been too long. I do tend to take longer showers than most, but he was in and out of the bathroom for most of the shower, yelling unintelligible things at me about helicopters and yellow folders. I did hear him say that was all ready for school shortly before I emerged and began to dry myself off. When I came out of the bathroom to get dressed, it was a little too quiet for my tastes, so I called for him. The front door slammed shut and he thumped up the stairs in his hat, boots, coat, backpack, and everything else. He informed me that he was out waiting for the bus, and I informed him that it was not time to wait for the bus yet, and he should not be going outside without me. That was when the doorbell rang and the I heard the pounding on the front door.
Trying to do up my pants as I ran downstairs (never a good idea), I saw a police officer at my door. He told me that someone had reported seeing Edward playing by himself near the street and he was here to check it out. He was very friendly and seemed fine with my explanation that Edward just does what he wants, but I couldn’t help but wonder if this was but the first of many times that my son would be leading the police to my door.
When we went back out to wait for the bus for real, I saw the officer’s car parked a block away on the street, and I wondered who, if anyone, had called in to report Edward. How had the officer known which house we lived in? Was he there anyway, or was the whole “someone reported you” thing just police code for “I saw your kid running around unsupervised and followed him here?” I suppose I will never know. Edward got on the bus, no one has been arrested, and it seems like a minor incident that will blow over quickly. I did have a very serious talk with my son about not going outside alone, for reasons of police intervention, which he seemed to mildly care about, so perhaps progress has been made.
So now the only question is, combination lock, padlock, or laser security robot?
OMG. O. M. G.