The Jump and Roll was jumping and rolling. Kids heading in every direction. The smaller of my two had disappeared into the climbing structure and the biggun wanted me to help her glide on her rented wheels.
I was talking to some other mothers when the music faded out and the microphone cut in. ...
"Would SIOBHAN please come to the ticket counter. Again. SIOBHAN please come to the ticket counter."
I stood there, perplexed. For some reason my mind focused on the word AGAIN.
"That can't be me," I said and looked toward my wallet on the table. Didn't lose anything with my name on it. And they stressed 'again.' Maybe they're looking for someone they'd already summoned before."
"Really?" my friend laughed. "You think there could possibly be another Siobhan here? The name has gotten that popular?"
She was right. How many of us could there be? I started to worry. Maybe there was an accident and Jed couldn't get through on the cell phone ..."
I started walking faster toward the place where we entered, passing the place I was supposed to appear (a place I would have named the "PRIZE BOOTH" not "TICKET COUNTER" if I were in charge of naming areas in a large indoor playground).
Of course. ... It's probably a good thing I'm not in charge of too many children. ...
A woman stopped me and asked if I was "Siobhan" before I noticed the boy in her arms was my son.
I held out my arms, feeling horrible.
"He couldn't find you and was crying," the woman said. "He knew your name, but wouldn't tell me his."
I'm not sure which was worse ... that I had not noticed he was missing or that I had no idea he could pronounce my name so clearly.
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