"Mrs. Briscoe, where is your husband?"

So today I had a day that ranked right up there with the day I called 911 because Sam was blue from head to toe. But at least this time I can laugh about it the same day. I'm still not really laughing about calling 911 for my baby, imagine that. So here's how it went.

We, the kids and I, were having a great morning. We ate, cleaned up, and left for the gym. After I got the kids checked in at the kids club I did my 30 minutes of toning, then I swapped the IPod for my cell phone and hopped on the treadmill. I hadn't gone 10 steps when the phone rang.
"Hello"
"Hi, is this Heidi Briscoe?"
"Yes"
"This is Debbie (something) from (name withheld) Elementery, do you know where your husband is, he never showed up for work today?"
"He's not at work?"
"No, we tried paging him earlier but he never answered."
You've got to be kidding, how can me husband be missing, that's rediculous!
"Can you call his classroom, and make sure he's not there."
"Okay, just a minute."
Hit stop on treadmill and walk towards locker room, feeling concerned.
"He's not answering Ms. Briscoe, you haven't seen him?"
Panic.
"No, when I left the house his car was gone therefore he is at work."
"I'm sorry Mam, did I upset you."
"Uh yeah."
Severe panic. He usually leaves for work around 7, it's after 10, he hasn't been seen in 3 hours! He's dead on the side of the road.
"Can you go down to his class and physically check that he isn't there and call me back, I'll try his cell phone."
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh. Dial. Ring. He's Dead! Ring. What if he's hurt. Ring. There's no way he left me. Ring. He totally loves me. Ring. If there was an accident he would have called. Ring. He's got to be dead. His voice on the answering machine. Panic. Maybe the house. Dial. Maybe he's just sick. Ring. Panic. Ring. I'll never see him again. Ring. I'm gonna die. Ring. I can't do this. His voice on the answering machine. Oh my gosh he's dead. She's gonna call back and say she was wrong.
Ring, "Hello, Ms. Briscoe, he's not there."
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. Then he's hurt. He wouldn't not go to work. What do I do?"
Crying.
"I don't know?"
"What hospitals are in the area? Can you get me the numbers?"
She gives me the numbers. Hysteria.
"I'll call you if I find anything out."
I call all three hospitals. He's not there. Where could he be??? Would anybody know? Maybe he went running with Nate this morning? Maybe he told Nate something. He hasn't been running in weeks. What are the chances he would have mentioned anything anyway. I have to try.
Dial Nate. Ring. You have to answer. Ring. Where could James be? Ring. Please answer. Ring. He's a teacher. Ring. He's not gonna answer. Ring. Phone connects. He hangs up. NOOO!!! Crying. Trembling.
He has to answer. Redial. He's my only hope. Ring. Please. Ring. Come on!
"Hello"
"Oh my gosh! Nate this is Heidi Briscoe, did you go running with James today?"
"Yeah"
"Was he okay this morning?"
"Yeah, what's up?"
"He never showed up to work today. Did he mention anything?"
Panic.
"He said he was observing today at the elementary next to his."
There's hope!!!
"Okay thanks, bye."
Call his school.
"Hi this is Heidi Briscoe. James' friend said he was observing at the school near his today. Which would that be?"
"(Name Withheld)"
"Do you have the number?"
"Yeah."
I call (Name Withheeld) Elementary. Crying.
"Hi is there a Mr. Briscoe observing today with the music teacher?"
"Um... yes."
Praise the Lord!!!
"Well this is his wife and I've just spent the last 30 minutes thinking he's dead, could you have him call me."
"Okay."
Crying. Crying. Crying.
Then I called my friend Jess, Nate's wife, and she brought our friend Heather over and Heather drove me and my kids home because I was on the verge of passing out from shock.
Thankfully I have already recovered from the trauma and am now laughing about it. Come to find out James had cleared this observation with the principal last week and she had forgotten to tell the other staff and was at a meeting herself when this all went down. James assures me the secretery, Debbie something, feels terrible. :) I almost feel bad for her. :)