KIDNAPPING A CHILD

Ever tried kidnapping a kid, only to return the child two hours later? I did!

Hahah, only kidding! Get the pun?!

Last Saturday, I went to help out at the parish's children's drama club. Unfortunately after waiting for 30 minutes together with a handful of kids, we were finally notified that today's session was cancelled. Apparently SOMEONE forgot to mention to some of the children. Poor things! They were *so* looking forward to it!

So, I was already in town and it was wayyy to early to head back home. The LAST thing I wanted to to was arrive home and see my mum's ' i-told-you-so ' expression. It was then that I spotted this nine-year old lass. She knew me, off course, as one of the teachers' assistant.

"Wanna take a short walk around here? I'm buying some sundry for my mum" I ask her nicely. And I mean, nicely! She gave that ten-second thoughtful look, and went, "Okay!"

Kids, this is the exact scenario that you should watch out for. NEVER follow a stranger, even is he/she is someone you've seen before.

So, we went just to the next block from the church premises. My mum send me on errand to get a bag of peanuts. "I have the sudden urge for kacang !" says she. "Only buy if less than RM 8.00" she continues. Okay mum! After getting the bag of nuts and a couple of lollipops, (the kacang was RM 7.50 for 900g, if you care to know), I asked her about her ride home.

"Grandfather is currently in a meeting in the church hall. He only finishes at 1.00pm," said Michelle, the nine-year old I kidnapped. It was only past 11.00am, and I felt the girl should not have to wait until 1.00pm. For crying out loud, there was hardly anyone around the parish premises, if it weren't for the meeting in the hall upstairs.

And suddenly, I felt responsible for her. "Would you like to walk around the mall?" Gladly, she agreed. I've never been a child-friendly person. But attending and assisting the children's drama club nowdays, has changed me dramatically. (Okay, great! Another pun!)

We walked to the nearest mall, and looked around at stationaries, gifts, books and CDs. For a nine-year old, Michelle really chatted the time away. At least she was talkative! That didn't leave me to do all the talking. Before leaving the mall, we went to the entertainment arcade.

I introduced her to the dance machine. Ahhh... that dance machine! Hahahah... it was such a funny sight! Two amateurs trying their best to keep up with the beats. We started by playing one against one, but she was doing REALLY bad. I then abandoned my side and helped her danced on her side of the machine. Together, we rocked!

We used the rest of the arcade tokens on those Toy-Picking-Claw and Hit-The-Weasel machines. It was so much fun playing these with a kid. Especially when you're a grown up.

At a quarter to 1.00, I walked with her back to the churchyard but my mind was already spinning with thoughts of her worried grandfather. We didn't leave anyone a message that she was with me. Upon arriving, we discovered that her grandad's meeting was still in progress... and no one had noticed she was gone!

So much for the grand scheme of child abduction!