Lacey Lost Her Eye

I haven't written in awhile because not everything that happens around here is that interesting.  But, I just can't let yesterday's events go undocumented.

The day started out fine.  I was in the kitchen sipping coffee and packing lunches.  Then, at exactly 5:53 a.m., I received a text from Cassie that said, "Lacey lost her eye!"

I groaned and started up the stairs.  Those readers who know us are probably groaning too.  Those of you who don't need to understand that this was no April Fool's joke.  Lacey wears a prosthetic eye.  She seldom removes it and never remembers to place it in its case.   (For a history of Lacey's eye, follow this link:  Lacey's New Eye)

Lacey claimed that she had taken her eye out to rinse it and left it on the bathroom counter.  The bathroom counter was pretty crowded.  But, trust me on this, an eye is kind of hard to miss.  It wasn't there.  We searched on the floor, through the laundry hamper and through the trash basket.  Les fetched a flashlight and peered down the drain. 

Lacey was upset and we were all going to be late.  We decided to let her decide  whether  she wanted to go to school without her eye.  A couple years ago she wouldn't have cared.  But now she doesn't want her friends to see her without it.  She opted to stay home and continue looking. 

At 7:30 I called to ask how the search was going.  She happily announced that she was having breakfast.  I suggested she eat up and start looking.  At 7:45 I called to check in again.  Lacey informed me that, although she hadn't begun looking for her eye,  she had texted all her friends to let them know she wasn't coming to school.  That made me remember that I needed to call the school and report her absence.  I briefly wondered what the attendance clerk would say if I told her that Lacey wasn't coming because she couldn't find her eye.  That would be better than any excuse my students had ever offered!

I was seriously worried about Lacey's eye.  Making a new prosthetic eye would take about two months.  And, they are not cheap.  Around 8:45 I texted Lacey.  Our exchange went like this:

Me:  Any luck?
Lacey:  Not yet.  I'm going to try my bedroom.
Me:  It has to be in the house.  Did you check your backpack?
Lacey:  Yes it's in there.
Me:  What's in there ????
Lacey:  No it's not in the backpack.
Me:  Bathroom cabinet?
Lacey:  No.
Me:  Did you shake out your pajamas?
Lacey:  No found it under my bed now
Me:  Did you find it?
Lacey:  Yes
Me:  Really?
Lacey:  Yes
Me:  Why don't you call Gladis and see if she can take you to school.
Lacey:  I'll think I'll stay home and clean my room.
Me:  Okay.  Good idea.

It might seem like a cop out for me to have let her stay home.  But, I was still recovering from having recently watched Les try to put out a fire by sitting on it.  So, having Lacey safely at home cleaning her room seemed like a good option.

Later, I showed Lacey our texts and asked why she answered "yes" to the eye being in her backpack.  She said that she had gotten the words "yes" and "no" a little confused.  After Cassie finally stopped laughing, I asked Lacey how she thought her eye got under her bed.  "Well," she said.  "I must have accidentally kicked it there."

"But how did it get on the floor in the first place?" I asked.

"I don't know," she answered.  "I guess I must have accidentally put it there.  I mean Cassie wouldn't have put it there to prank me.  So, I must have done it.  By the way, my teacher was still out of town today and the substitute we have is really mean!"

Was today some kind of April Fool's joke that Lacey planned so that she could stay home?   I will probably never know.  But right now I'll settle for a clean bedroom.