17-02-17 Runaway

Friday 17th February 2017

For the holy day of Friday I received the unholiest fright of my life when Kingsley decided to run away from me in unfamiliar surroundings and with pools and the ocean all around us. Yes…he finally did it: my son gave me the terrors and an almighty headache and dreadful thoughts of drowned babies  all because he ran away from me and silly me did not keep up with him (because, and I must be honest here, my eyes were cast downward on my new Samsung phone instead of not following my child around).

One minute he is chasing peacocks near the hedges, the next he is disappeared. At first my voice was calmly calling his name, then when I saw water all around me – the Arabian Gulf, private villa pools, large (and deep) hotel pools, fountains, cascading waterfalls, an unenclosed jetty – my head began to ache and my voice became louder and every so often it strangulated his name “KingsLEY!!” I heard myself holler.

Soon enough we had much of the ground staff of the One and Only Royal Mirage looking for him. At one point a kindly staffer swept me into his golf buggy and round we went the sprawling property. Within moments we are joined by two security guys. Walkie-talkies are ringing; voices are hushed and calm (I was panicked and my head hurt); they took over.

After some time he was found by a woman manager and taken to The Palace (one of the three hotels on the property), fed apple juice, asked some questions and given a camel dressed in (what looks like) traditional Turkish attire. He was brought to me (and the rest of the security/staffers holding his camel, hugged me immediately and excitedly recounted his tales of adventure. It all sounded very much like a heroic Boy’s Own undertaking. He even told me that he cried at one point.

Dear me. My head was pounding for a long time there. He is passed out now, after eating two eggs + 2 tubs Greek yoghurt + two bowls of cheesy pasta for supper. Our very own courageous adventurer runaway.