4.) Write a poem about that time you were left behind.
We went to Burger King
I was ready to eat
My five brothers and sisters
all scrambled for seats.
We laughed and we chattered
I was one of a bunch
Our tummies grew fatter
As we finished our lunch.
I ran to go play
for one last hurrah
came back for my burger
And they were all gone.
I looked in the bathroom
I looked under the chairs
I looked on the playground,
But they were not there.
And as I was searching
I did not know
That they all had left me
And were halfway home.
It took that long
for someone to see
That a child was missing
And that child was me.
And just when I began
putting the pieces together
My oldest brother found me
And voiced his displeasure,
“God you’re lame
You little fool.
You’re lucky someone cared
To come back for you”
I shrugged my shoulders
I didn’t understand
But now we all laugh
About that empty seat in our van.
Jessica says
That would suck to be left behind by your siblings. At least they finally remembered and came back for you.
Carrie says
Man, I would have been so pissed! I hope you make an extra extra effort to remind them whenever you get a chance
Tracy says
Aww, you poor thing. That would suck and be scary, too.
June Freaking Cleaver says
I also wrote about being left behind. And even though I was an adult, it was a very unsettling feeling.
Did your mom institute a head count procedure after that?
Miri says
Oh, I remember when we found a little girl from a big family where they had all left without her. She was very chilled about it. She just shrugged her shoulders and said “yeah, there’s so many of us, someone always gets left behind.”
Karen @ Time Crafted says
Always love your fun poems!
Your prompts sent me down memory lane this week. My post ended up taking waaay longer to write than I thought it would. But, that’s okay, I dug up oodles of old memories and even an actual mixed tape from a friend that I still have….now, something that will actually still play it, that might be a challenge! lol
Erin says
How scary! It’s a good thing they came back for you!
The Reason You Come says
Oh, that must have been horrible for you! I was never left behind as a child, but there was a time when I thought I was. I was terrified!
First time here, and happy to be here! Your prompt hit home, and I was happy to answer it.
Ashley @ Just Another Mom of 2 says
Aww, what a tough experience! I was once left behind in a mix of six cousins- my uncle had made a quick run to the convenience store. The worst part about it? They didn’t realize I was missing until they came back and they failed to bring me any candy.
Sigh.
Thanks for the great prompts, it is exciting to link up!
The Drama Mama says
I’m still trying to figure out how you got left behind. That would have terrified me!
Leah says
Wonder how many kids have had this exact situation happen to them in a Burger King too!! How scary!
dysfunctional mom says
Aw, you poor traumatized thing!
My mom got left behind by her family as a child and she ran all the way home!
Tiffany says
Ok, I think I’m the only one but this was funny. Funny how your brother told you were lame and that now as adults you can laugh about it!
Glad that they came back for you. :)
Dominique says
It must be horrid to be left behind at the restaurant… luckily they came back for you.
Paula Kiger says
Yeesh!! One of my friends tells a of a time on a cross country trip when she had gotten out to use the bathroom but hubs thought she was still asleep in the car — he was somewhere in the middle of generic nowhereville when he figured out she had been left behind – she tells the story better than I do – I’ll bet she could even do a funny poem about it if she could find a word to rhyme with “Louisiana”!
jackie says
I can only imagine how scary that must’ve been!
Teacher Girl says
Oh man, not cool at all!
Angel says
I would have been ready to bet someone down. My sister left me behind at Church one day .. Hmm maybe I will write about that.
Karen and Gerard says
Aw, what a sad experience! I am glad I never got left behind like that! I liked your poem!
JDaniel4's Mom says
With so many children I would have to count heads or I would miss one. Glad they came back. It would be crazy to be left behind.
Ginny Marie @ Lemon Drop Pie says
It sounds like you were remembered before you had time to get too scared! I remember getting lost in the mall when I was little. Scared both myself and my mom and dad!
Jennifer@ The Mommy Mambo says
Should have grabbed a pay phone and dialed CPS. That’d show em! HAHA!
Loved the poem!
Amy says
I think it would be tough to keep tack of 5 kids too. Great poem! I attempted this prompt too (not really, my poem isn’t very poemish).
Jen says
I could NEVER forget you.
Never ever ever.
Sam_I_Am says
Must be something with big families, when you’re part of the “bunch.” My boss has 6 kids and she forgot the baby in the car once. Fortunately, she didn’t go too far before she realized!
angie says
I always love your poems. And, I had that hair cut in kindergarten. Sweet.
Los says
So, this was kind of like Home Alone …. before Home Alone came out!
Teresa says
You aren’t lame at all. You are funny though! Great poem!
Crystal says
That would be totally scary!! Good thing you’re laughing about it……and not scarred beyond repair!!
Tori Nelson says
Poor girl, can’t have a final go onthe playground without being left behind! I was only left once and never realized it until my mom and grandmother laughed about the “parking lot incident” years later.
Having trouble linking to the workshop! This may have something to do with a little computer illiteracy :(
I wrote on a memorable neighbor here:
http://torinelson.wordpress.com/2011/03/10/in-this-analogy-i-am-gretel-and-you-are-trying-to-bake-me/
Jenn grant says
Love this, and being the youngest of 6 I have a similar memory, except it was the grocery store and involved me crying a lot. Then a trip to get ice cream to compensate me for my trauma :). Btw I am the idiot who posted twice by accident, duh!
Jennifer G. says
You rocked that Hamill hair! I guess with so many kids in a family it’s easy to miss one now and then :)
HisBell says
I think I had that haircut too. Courtesy of my senial grandmother. lol
Bruna says
Cute mushroom hair style Kat! I remember those days:) Cute poem and classic picture. Brought back my own memories.
Kate says
My aunt left my cousin at a funeral once. It was about 2 hours from home. They made it ALL the way there before they realized he was missing!
Jennifer says
That’s kind of sad. But I guess with a lot of kids things kind of get hectic.
Maggie S. says
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to get it off my chest!!! Once I was finished, I really saw the good side of things, too. First time linking up.
Jessica says
Nice poem! How scary that situation must have been for you though!
Maggie S. says
My husband was left alone when he was five. Mom thought dad had him at the ball field; Dad thought Mom had him at his sister’s dance class. They came home and he was on the sofa with every light in the house on.
Really terrifying junk.
Peg says
poor baby! That is hilarious though!
Jen says
I love that your brother made it your fault. So typical!
misty says
I love this… Great job… I contemplated doing a poem but was a bit nervous.
Tonya says
I suppose it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. :(
Cool hair cut! I rocked that look in third grade.
Valerie says
This elicits that “Home Alone” feeling, but without the break-ins and buffoonery. Sweet poem, sweet writer’s workshop. It’s like a party and I appreciate your hosting it!
Kelly says
omg we did that to one of my old brothers once on a family vacation……… oops haha My mom learned quick that asking “Are we all in the van?” didn’t cut it and that counting worked better.
Claire says
your mom must’ve been freaking out! so scary. great poem, though!
Julie says
I can’t imagine being left behind. Therapy probably would cost so much more if I that had happened to me! Yikes.
justine says
that’s hilarious and sad at the same time! it’s good you can laugh about it. though, i’m sure at the time it was terrifying. i don’t think i was ever left anywhere, but we lost my sister once at the grocery store when i was like, 10, and i was in a panic trying to find her. when we did, i gave her a “young lady, where have you been!?!?” finger wagging. priceless.
Jill says
LOL! Great poem. I’m glad you didn’t panic! How scary for everyone.
Dawn says
Ohhh, my heart just melted for you…I feel so sorry for little you.
Barbara says
What a cute poem.
Just Call Me Lynn says
That was RIDICULOUSLY adorable!
alisha says
you are NOT lame!!!
we did that to my cousin phillip once. it was burned into my brain as one of the many many times i was sooooo thankful to be an only child.
mom taxi julie says
LOL too funny! My husband got in the car the other day and started to back up. I was like “umm there’s no kids in the car??” He didn’t even realize they hadn’t got in the car yet.
Allison @ Alli 'n Son says
Oh, this is sadly hilarious. You poor thing.
Trippin' Mama says
I got left behind once, too. My twin sister didn’t even speak up to say I was missing. I should be logging some serious couch time over that, I’m sure! :)
Katrina says
Okay, this is a great poem. I love it! It reminds me of the time that my husband left one of our children behind at church. I was away on a girl’s scrapbooking weekend and had left him with all nine of our children. On Sunday, he tried to show me up by taking ALL of the kids to church with him – you know, to prove that he is THE man, LOL — and after mass he drove home and began feeding the kids lunch. About 15 minutes later, the doorbell rang and a friend from our church was standing there with our 7 year old son, A.J. Apparently, A.J. had gone off to the bathroom as soon as the service ended, and my husband hurried the kids into the car in a rush to get home…driving away without A.J. I can totally see how my husband missed him, but I’m still surprised that none of the other kids noticed his empty seat in the van. Usually it’s the siblings who notice if one of their own is missing from the group! LOL
Mama Zen says
That is so cute!
Georgia Girls says
Your short haircut is a little too painfully familiar :) I just thought of an experience of leaving a child behind–scary, but true. I’ll still write about it this week even tho it won’t count. Thank your for these prompts — love ’em!