It Once Was Lost . . .

but now it's found. It's only a year too late, but better late than never? It certainly is nice to stop wondering where it disappeared to. I'm referring to Gem's second grade math workbook. It was three quarters done when she lost it.

I remember when I was taking piano, but not really wanting to take lessons anymore. I was eleven years old. My piano teacher was conveniently located at the base of our street. Every Thursday I would hop on my bike with my books in one arm and careen down the hill with the other hand (or none) on the handlebars. During one of my wild rides, the books slipped from my arms and scattered in the street. One book (theory) skidded into a storm drain. It was a convenient mishap: I loathed theory. I tried hard not to smile when I told my teacher about the accident. She knew my affection for the book and suggested that we not order a new one right now. I was thrilled.

As I look back on that incident I remember one thing with a bit of shame. I had squeezed my skinny little self down that very drain to retrieve a ball not long before. But maybe I'd grown a little bit since then, I reasoned.

Back to the present: Gem lost this year's math book two weeks ago. Amazingly, it disappeared in the same room from which the other book vanished. I began to smell a rat, and decided that I had better look in all the places that a math book could possibly be stashed. Though I wanted to trust Gem, I had my doubts.

A week after tearing the living room to pieces, I was sitting in the recliner with Popcorn, snuggling. I asked him if he wanted me to read him a book and he said that there was a book in the chair. Books often get crammed between the cushion and the side of the chair, but I didn't find one. He kept insisting, so I searched deeper into the chair, pushing down past a curve, and up to my elbow. I didn't know that there was a pocket that deep. Sure enough, I felt pages. I pulled it out and almost screamed--last year's math book! Gem was just as shocked as I had been. She's not a very good liar, so I actually believe her.

Naturally, I tore couch cushions apart too, finding that they went a bit deeper than I thought, but not that deep. I did, however, manage to retrieve 56 cents and various and sundry junk, along with a pretty good stash of old popcorn.

So the mystery still remains: where is this year's math workbook? I hope that I'm able to report that to you soon. In the meantime, multiplication flash cards and payment from Gem for a new book.