An afFAIR to Remember

It was supposed to be a pleasant morning at the Steiner school fair. The pocket lady had an apron filled with treats, the coconut shy booth was set and ready for action, and the sausages were sizzling with plenty of hungry mouths to feed. Kids of every age beemed in delight and showed proud parents their classrooms and vegie patch.
The boys and I decided (well I did, the boys really are too little for excursion decisions) that instead of risking another tomato plant torture at home, we would visit the popular fair and catch up with some friends. All was going relatively smoothly until Jack fell asleep in the car on the way there. Hang on it's only 11am? Putting it down to a quick energy booster, we carried on and joined the crowds making their way to the school. We hit the slide and swings on arrival but only managed to enjoy the former before a face plant off the slide halted the proceedings. A quick dust off and we headed for the sausage sizzle.
Maybe it was the relaxed atmosphere that led me to casually allow Jack wander off towards the playfield, or the distraction of chatting to a newly found friend. Regardless, within seconds, I had lost him. I need not remind any of you who have experienced losing your child for the first time, what thoughts race through your head and I will not impart those to you now. On the funny side, I must have looked a sight, flying through the bumpy school terrain, with a pinched face and swirling head desperately looking through all the little legs to find my own precious ones. The word quickly got out as I managed to blubber his description to the office. With help from my sympathetic friend and utter strangers we set about 'operation lost child'.
It was a long and lengthy ten minutes, but after choosing to retrace my steps for the fourth time and choosing the little group of trees to check again, there he was, holding the hand of the kindest man I now know, pointing to me and smiling innocently. I of course was a basket case and squeezed the breath from him, while Charlie, quite unperturbed by the entire ordeal, fell asleep.