Pages of Mariskova

We went to a department store near our apartment this Sunday. We were looking for an aquarium and some fish for Hikari. We spent quite some time in that department store. After we found the aquarium, Papap were heading for the cashier and Hikari was tailing him cheerfully. I turned my back around for a second to see some stationery. Just for a second. I turned my back around again and I only saw Papap at the cashier. I looked around for Hikari because he usually liked to linger at the Lego section near the cashier. But, he was not there! I asked Papap and he thought Hikari was still behind him. We searched the entire toy section for a couple of times and still he was nowhere to be found. Separated by a wall is the groceries section -food, dairy product, things like that. We didn't think Hikari was there because he didn't like being in the groceries section. I thought he might go up the escalator to reach the playground arena upstairs, but Papap didn't think he was brave enough to take the escalator alone. Now, we were in panick! We searched wider area, but still he wasn't seen... God, I was out of breath and scared to death. The tears were on the eyes. But at the moment, I made my self calm by thinking 'Okay we're in Japan. No kidnapper here.' and I tried to believe that my self. A few minutes passed. I began to search for the groceries section when I heard a child's voice screaming and crying. I heard "Mama!" and I ran to that direction! Then a woman -apparently the employee there- appeared carrying Hikari and trying to calm him down. Oh God, I couldn't say a word! Sumimasen, arigato gozaimashita, again and again.
Hikari didn't want to let me go after that. He insisted on being carried by me . It was traumatic for me and my hubby. I've got the feeling that it is even more traumatic for Hikari; He said something like "Ari was looking for Mama." over and over again. He still cries now and then until today if he remembers that incident. He said he followed someone that he thought was me....
I restrained myself for saying I-told-you-so-kind of thing or that's-what-happen-if-you-don't-hold-my-hand-kind of preaches. He got the lesson by himself, so to speak. (He had a book that tells about a little bear named Bruno who got lost in a supermarket because he didn't listen to his mom telling him to stay close. We use the book to teach him how to behave in a supermarket.)
I got my lesson too, but I belive I was lucky. We are in Honjo where people are few and department stores are never crowded. People here are helpful -like that woman whom I owe a lot. I don't want to imagine what ifs. What if it happened in Jakarta??? etcetera etcetera...