Rachal and the 911 Call
I always carry my cell phone. Always. In this day and age how can I not? I need to be in touch at a moments notice with my children. If I leave the house to run a ten minute errand my mobile is on. If I go out for a meeting that is going to take hours I have my phone on. If I can clear my schedule for a great chick flick movie I have my cell is on. It Is not that I do not trust my children, it’s this world of ours that I have my doubts about. So I leave myself always reachable for them.
My three children know that they have free reign to call me any time- day or night. I live with my phone on silence so there is no concern that the ring will interrupt what I am doing at that time. No meeting, movie or moment that I am tied up in is more important than something my children want or need to ask.
Benjamin is fifteen and understands that I love hearing from him. That any question he wants to ask at that moment is worthy of asking. But he a first born and does not ask questions just to ask them. Rachal is thirteen and is mentally handicap her special needs has her around the age of a five year old. She does not understand the concept of the numbers and the sequencing but when she needs to talk to me Benjamin will call me for her and give her the phone. Joshua is nine years old and loves to call me and ask real important questions like “Mom where are you?” and “Mom when are you coming home?”
With all of that said and my mobile phone on at this very moment I want to share what happened at our home in last month. My husband Ray and I had a portfolio meeting with a builder in the area. This meeting has been on our palm pilots for months. We were looking forward to hearing from the builder and meeting other neighbors in our upcoming development.
“We’re off kids.” I shouted upstairs as I grabbed my hand bag and phone. “My phone is on and we are at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fort Myers.”
Ben came down stairs to give us a hug and listen for any last minute details.
“We are just a bridge away Ben, please call with any questions you might have.” I told him.
“I know Mom, I know.” He said rolling his eyes and smiling slightly.
We made the trip across the Mid Point Bridge with ease. No early evening accidents and not too many red lights delayed our travels. We were actually early to the meeting. We settled into our seats and watched the other men and woman as they made themselves comfortable. Light refreshments were served as well as drinks. It was a lovely affair and I looked eagerly to the sales team and builder to begin speaking.
About 15 minutes into the introductions. I felt something inside of me or rather I heard something inside of me say ‘get in touch with the children”. It was that Mother’s intuition that we all have been given after having these precious peanuts come into our lives. I felt my heart quicken and I reached for my mobile phone.
It was not by my hand bag. I reached around the binder that we were referring to with the building plans and still no phone. I small bit of panic rose inside of me.
“Ray, my phone is gone, I am sure I left it in the van. Can you please get it?” I asked him quietly trying not to sound alarmed.
“The kids are fine.” He said and went back to listening to the speaker.
“No, I mean it, something is wrong I can feel it inside.” I pleaded.
“Okay, Okay but take notes while I am gone this is important stuff.” He said.
I said back in my chair and forced myself to breath. I did not want to make a scene. It was most likely nothing and it will be good to just look at the phone and see that the home number has not appeared.
It seemed like an hour before Ray came back. He slipped into his chair and said, “You might want to gather up your things.”
I grabbed the phone. My face went white and I knew that something was wrong. I immediately left the room to see him following me quickly with our items.
I dialed the home line immediately.
“Mom!” Ben said.
“Honey it’s me. I am so sorry I accidentally left my phone in the van. Please forgive me what’s happening?” I blurted out.
“Mom, Rachal took the cordless phone and locked herself into the bathroom and dialed 911.” Ben explained. “Before I knew what was going on I heard sirens and lots of them. Rachal ran outside and in front of our home and still coming down the street were fire and rescue trucks, and ambulance and a police cruiser.”
“Oh my Lord!” Was all that I could say. “Ben please go on. Is she okay? Are you okay? Where is Joshua?”
“Mom, listen it gets better.” Ben replied. “Rachal ran outside and I ran after her, well not really ran I mean I do have my cast on my leg.” Ben had broken his leg week’s earlier playing basketball. “Then as the EMT’s were getting out of their vehicles Rachal screams out, “Arrest this man, arrest him!” And she is pointing at me! I thought I was going to fall over - it was wild.” Ben says.
“Ben, are you serious? Did you tell them she is special?” I quickly ask.
“Yes, Mom, I told them right away. But then Rachal trips and hurts her leg and begins writhing on the ground like she’s been shot.” Ben goes on. “Mom it was just like all those cop shows she watches. She was literally acting out a part as the EMT’s ran over to her to put ice on her leg, you should have seen it!”
At this point I do not know what to do. I want to scream. I want to kick and I am spitting mad at myself for forgetting my mobile phone in the van. As if having my phone with me would have changed the course of all of this from happening.
“Ben we are on our way home this second.” I say as I am squeezing the phone so hard my knuckles are turning white. “Keep telling me everything that happened.
“Okay, they realize that Rachal is special, that she dialed the number and that me and Joshua are the only ones home. They ask me where you are and I keep trying to call you and they keep calling you but you would not answer your phone.” He says, as I think back to the moment when I knew in my heart something was wrong.
“Ben I am so sorry, truly I am I cannot believe this is happening!” I say as I swallow the lump in my throat. “Ben are you okay.” I know at this point I am going to get an honest answer from Ben. It’s just who he is.
“Yes, Mom I am fine. I can’t wait for you to get home. I know Joshua wants to see you too.” Ben says. “At some point he slowly went back into the home and I haven’t seen him since.”
Joshua is my incredibly sensitive son. He takes everything Rachal does and internalizes them it so deeply that sometimes I actually see the despair on his face.
“Why can’t Rachal be like my friends sisters Mom?” Joshua will ask me.
I smile and ask for the strength to help Joshua to realize the beauty in our family and life with Rachal.
We pull up to the house. I see Ben standing outside. I hear Rachal talking in circle about the events of the evening. I look for Joshua who is quietly playing army men in his room amongst a boat load of Lego’s.
“Hi kids,” I barely get out. “We’re home and I really need to see you each in my arms.” One by one they come and hug me. I swallow back tears as I look at my children. I am thankful that it was not a real emergency that has hurt them in any permanent way.
We all walk upstairs and gather around each other to just sit, talk and compare feelings. Everyone shares. Ben has us now actually laughing at the way Rachal tried to have him arrested. Rachal shares in bits and pieces that her Life Skills Teacher and our friend, Jill Bonnell taught her ‘not to talk to strangers’ and to how to call 911. We are unglued at her simple justification of her actions. Joshua curls up in my lap and silently weeps.
I realize that I am not in control of everything that happens, as much as I want to be. This experience will be in our family’s memories forever. I hope one day that we will all be able to truly laugh about it. Until then I am gratefully for the security in knowing our family loves one another unconditionally.
My three children know that they have free reign to call me any time- day or night. I live with my phone on silence so there is no concern that the ring will interrupt what I am doing at that time. No meeting, movie or moment that I am tied up in is more important than something my children want or need to ask.
Benjamin is fifteen and understands that I love hearing from him. That any question he wants to ask at that moment is worthy of asking. But he a first born and does not ask questions just to ask them. Rachal is thirteen and is mentally handicap her special needs has her around the age of a five year old. She does not understand the concept of the numbers and the sequencing but when she needs to talk to me Benjamin will call me for her and give her the phone. Joshua is nine years old and loves to call me and ask real important questions like “Mom where are you?” and “Mom when are you coming home?”
With all of that said and my mobile phone on at this very moment I want to share what happened at our home in last month. My husband Ray and I had a portfolio meeting with a builder in the area. This meeting has been on our palm pilots for months. We were looking forward to hearing from the builder and meeting other neighbors in our upcoming development.
“We’re off kids.” I shouted upstairs as I grabbed my hand bag and phone. “My phone is on and we are at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fort Myers.”
Ben came down stairs to give us a hug and listen for any last minute details.
“We are just a bridge away Ben, please call with any questions you might have.” I told him.
“I know Mom, I know.” He said rolling his eyes and smiling slightly.
We made the trip across the Mid Point Bridge with ease. No early evening accidents and not too many red lights delayed our travels. We were actually early to the meeting. We settled into our seats and watched the other men and woman as they made themselves comfortable. Light refreshments were served as well as drinks. It was a lovely affair and I looked eagerly to the sales team and builder to begin speaking.
About 15 minutes into the introductions. I felt something inside of me or rather I heard something inside of me say ‘get in touch with the children”. It was that Mother’s intuition that we all have been given after having these precious peanuts come into our lives. I felt my heart quicken and I reached for my mobile phone.
It was not by my hand bag. I reached around the binder that we were referring to with the building plans and still no phone. I small bit of panic rose inside of me.
“Ray, my phone is gone, I am sure I left it in the van. Can you please get it?” I asked him quietly trying not to sound alarmed.
“The kids are fine.” He said and went back to listening to the speaker.
“No, I mean it, something is wrong I can feel it inside.” I pleaded.
“Okay, Okay but take notes while I am gone this is important stuff.” He said.
I said back in my chair and forced myself to breath. I did not want to make a scene. It was most likely nothing and it will be good to just look at the phone and see that the home number has not appeared.
It seemed like an hour before Ray came back. He slipped into his chair and said, “You might want to gather up your things.”
I grabbed the phone. My face went white and I knew that something was wrong. I immediately left the room to see him following me quickly with our items.
I dialed the home line immediately.
“Mom!” Ben said.
“Honey it’s me. I am so sorry I accidentally left my phone in the van. Please forgive me what’s happening?” I blurted out.
“Mom, Rachal took the cordless phone and locked herself into the bathroom and dialed 911.” Ben explained. “Before I knew what was going on I heard sirens and lots of them. Rachal ran outside and in front of our home and still coming down the street were fire and rescue trucks, and ambulance and a police cruiser.”
“Oh my Lord!” Was all that I could say. “Ben please go on. Is she okay? Are you okay? Where is Joshua?”
“Mom, listen it gets better.” Ben replied. “Rachal ran outside and I ran after her, well not really ran I mean I do have my cast on my leg.” Ben had broken his leg week’s earlier playing basketball. “Then as the EMT’s were getting out of their vehicles Rachal screams out, “Arrest this man, arrest him!” And she is pointing at me! I thought I was going to fall over - it was wild.” Ben says.
“Ben, are you serious? Did you tell them she is special?” I quickly ask.
“Yes, Mom, I told them right away. But then Rachal trips and hurts her leg and begins writhing on the ground like she’s been shot.” Ben goes on. “Mom it was just like all those cop shows she watches. She was literally acting out a part as the EMT’s ran over to her to put ice on her leg, you should have seen it!”
At this point I do not know what to do. I want to scream. I want to kick and I am spitting mad at myself for forgetting my mobile phone in the van. As if having my phone with me would have changed the course of all of this from happening.
“Ben we are on our way home this second.” I say as I am squeezing the phone so hard my knuckles are turning white. “Keep telling me everything that happened.
“Okay, they realize that Rachal is special, that she dialed the number and that me and Joshua are the only ones home. They ask me where you are and I keep trying to call you and they keep calling you but you would not answer your phone.” He says, as I think back to the moment when I knew in my heart something was wrong.
“Ben I am so sorry, truly I am I cannot believe this is happening!” I say as I swallow the lump in my throat. “Ben are you okay.” I know at this point I am going to get an honest answer from Ben. It’s just who he is.
“Yes, Mom I am fine. I can’t wait for you to get home. I know Joshua wants to see you too.” Ben says. “At some point he slowly went back into the home and I haven’t seen him since.”
Joshua is my incredibly sensitive son. He takes everything Rachal does and internalizes them it so deeply that sometimes I actually see the despair on his face.
“Why can’t Rachal be like my friends sisters Mom?” Joshua will ask me.
I smile and ask for the strength to help Joshua to realize the beauty in our family and life with Rachal.
We pull up to the house. I see Ben standing outside. I hear Rachal talking in circle about the events of the evening. I look for Joshua who is quietly playing army men in his room amongst a boat load of Lego’s.
“Hi kids,” I barely get out. “We’re home and I really need to see you each in my arms.” One by one they come and hug me. I swallow back tears as I look at my children. I am thankful that it was not a real emergency that has hurt them in any permanent way.
We all walk upstairs and gather around each other to just sit, talk and compare feelings. Everyone shares. Ben has us now actually laughing at the way Rachal tried to have him arrested. Rachal shares in bits and pieces that her Life Skills Teacher and our friend, Jill Bonnell taught her ‘not to talk to strangers’ and to how to call 911. We are unglued at her simple justification of her actions. Joshua curls up in my lap and silently weeps.
I realize that I am not in control of everything that happens, as much as I want to be. This experience will be in our family’s memories forever. I hope one day that we will all be able to truly laugh about it. Until then I am gratefully for the security in knowing our family loves one another unconditionally.
posted by Lisa Cronin Miller @ 1:02 PM
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