My Turn to Experience the Magic

I cannot believe this happened, but it did.  Disneyland showered some of its magic on me for once! No worries, the kids got plenty of magic too. It was nice to get in on some of the good stuff though.

We had a very long day at Disneyland and as usual, I was focused all day long on the kids. Keeping them close, keeping tabs on them, worrying that they'll trip and fall or run into a lamp post or something, making sure I don't run over people with the stroller, constantly taking inventory of the jackets and toys and other tag-along items, monitoring the kids for hunger, thirst, and potty, and taking pictures.  That's how I do it. At the end of the day, I'm always tired! We usually head for the exit around 6 or 7pm at the latest, this gets us home right at bedtime and frankly, that's a long enough day for me.

Last time we went, it was 8:30 when we got to the end of Main Street. I always make a bathroom stop before exiting so that we don't have to use the car potty in the parking structure; I don't think the security staff wants to see me on the security cameras using the potty chair in the parking lot. We stopped at the restroom right at the end of Main Street.

Libby just hates to use public toilets, even at Disneyland. But, I persuaded her to try. At first she tried on toilet and decided it wasn't good enough, so we moved to another stall and tried again. Success! Got everyone through the stalls and hands washed and all, and off we went through the exit.

KaBoom! Fireworks! Really? We were here late enough for fireworks? I was in shock that we stayed so late! This was really when I realized what time it was. It was 8:45pm. We had a great view of the fireworks from the area outside the gates, so we just stopped and watched the fireworks from there. They were amazing!

After a while, I decided we should get on the tram before the mass exodus of the huge crowd in Disneyland are all upon us. I put my hands on the handle of the stroller and realized my purse wasn't hanging on the hook. The ground? Did I set it down? No. In the basket? No. Gracie, did you pick up my purse for me? No. Wait, where did I put it?

Panic.

My purse is GONE!!!

Was I so enchanted by the fireworks that I wouldn't notice if someone took it right from my side or from my stroller? No, I would have noticed. I think. We had a good size personal bubble of space where we were. That could not have happened. Could it? How could that have happened?

In the interest of safety, I keep everything that is super important in my purse and everything else (except the kids) are replaceable. My purse has my keys, phone, camera, cash, credit card and Disneyland passes in it. That's basically all that is in it. If I lose anything else at Disneyland, I can still call for help, get whatever I need with my credit card, preserve the day's memories, and drive home. I never thought about what would happen if I lost my purse!

How could I have lost my purse!!!

My inner voices were all screaming in my head. My heart was pounding. I was panicing on the inside. Trying to hold it together on the outside so that my kids wouldn't freak out.

I thought for a second and remembered that we just used the restrooms. Did I leave it hanging on the stall door hook? I could have. I remember hanging it on a hook. I went in one stall; I went in the stall Gracie used to check to see if she flushed, and I went in two stalls with Libby. Did I get my purse off of the stall door? I don't remember. I know I herded the kids to the sinks and helped Libby wash her hands. I washed mine and then we left. I must have had my purse; I never forget it. Guess it's possible.

Great, I can't get back into Disneyland because my passes are in my purse and I'm outside the gate! And I can't just go home, my keys are in my purse! How did this happen? I was praying that is really what happened anyway.

Thankfully, a security guard walked by and the girls were still watching the fireworks totally unaware of my panic attack. I walked up to the security guard and said, "Excuse me, I have a problem!" And then I told him that my purse is missing and I thought I had it but now I don't and maybe I left it in the ladies room but it contains my keys and my passes so I can't go look and I can't leave and." He very calmly asked me if I had it out here or if I left it in the restroom. I said in the whiniest voice ever, "I don't know!" He said what does it look like? I told him, it's a smallish brown fake-leather backpack and contains keys, wallet, phone and camera. He said to follow him.

He took me to the gate and told the ticket lady to let me and the girls through and another security guard took me from there to one of the trees in a planter. There were a bunch of Disneyland staffers just standing there and the guy nodded to them and they stood aside, there was my purse. Sitting on the planter. I squealed! "That's it!!!  Thank you! But, I wasn't over here, I went from the restroom on the right (we're now on the left side of the entrance) straight out the gates and stopped out there. I wasn't near this planter.  And they were all standing around it like it was a suspicious package and they were waiting for it to explode or something.

They asked me to identify the contents, again, I told them what was inside then without touching it they said I could look inside and one guy held a flashlight so I could see. Yup, everything was there! I checked my wallet, nothing disturbed or missing. I realized at this point that my camera was in the cup holder of my stroller and not in my purse. I used it to take photos of the fireworks. They said it was found in the ladies' room hanging on a stall door. Yes that is where I put it. How could I have walked out without it? They said I could go back in and watch the rest of the fireworks.

I said Thank you a million times and then I started to cry. What a relief! They were consoling and saying everyone loses something, no big deal, was there anything else wrong? No, just so relieved and happy! I put that purse on my shoulder and exited again, this time with my purse.

We  headed for the tram and got there just before the huge crowds came pouring out of Disneyland. I cannot believe I left my purse in the bathroom and then exited the gates. I am so very grateful to whomever found it and turned it in so promptly where it could be retrieved. I am amazed at the security taken to protect my purse while it waited for me to come to my senses. I am so mystified by the Disneyland magic that took over and made a non-event out of something that could have been the highest level of stress and inconvenience and hassle and agony.  All is well and I am glowing from the magic that is Disneyland.

I also feel a lot like Grover at the end of the book "There is a Monster at the end of this book".  I am so embarrassed.