Treasure Hunt

Once upon a time I was sitting at playgroup talking to the other moms while Alex and Edison ran rampant around the park. Alex came up to me with something clenched in his little hand. I squinted my old woman eyes to focus on the item.

I saw a little string hanging and at first I thought it was a mouse. I called Alex a little closer and realized I knew what it was. I started wishing it were a mouse. But no, it was a tampon. Alex's hand was wrapped around the cotton part and so I couldn't see if it was used.

I grabbed a nearby wipe I had used to wipe Edison's hands after lunch. I grabbed onto the string and pulled. But Alex had found a treasure and he wasn't planning to give it up. I was pulling as hard as I could and yet it was still tightly in his hands. The whole time the other moms were laughing. I was yelling, "Alex, let go!" Then a few other moms joined in and started yelling for him to let go.

He reluctantly released it and I dropped it in the garbage can. Luckily the tampon appeared to be unused, although it was dispensed and was quite dirty. I wiped his hands, generously applied hand sanitizer, and took them home for a bath. I am just glad Alex isn't old enough to ask about what he found. I am not ready for that conversation yet.