Small Wonder

This picture of Shawn Hornbeck used to be all over the place, at least in Missouri. He disappeared riding his bike over four years ago, and this picture was on TV everyday, in the paper, at my 7-11, etc. Everyone who lives here has seen this picture.

Eventually, they figured someone hit him with a car, panicked, and buried the body. I remember watching some Court TV thing a couple of years ago where his parents met with one of those psychics that talks to dead people.

Well, they found him. They finally found Shawn, alive and well, along with another kid who was snatched on Monday. This is one of those things that makes me believe in God. Like oranges. Oranges make me believe in God. Oranges and happy endings like this one.

I wouldn’t normally be so invested in this, but he disappeared 60 miles away, 4 years ago, and they found him ONE MILE FROM MY APARTMENT. The kid has been living in Kirkwood, possibly the whole time. The guy who kidnapped him worked at my favorite pizza place with one of my friends. The FBI picked him up literally one block away from me.

I’ve written a lot about my walks to Jen and Ron’s house – how I walk alone at night though the “scary” part of Kirkwood to get there. Well, I pass that apartment building on my walk. I walked by it twice last week. They say the kid was outside sometimes, riding his bike. I could have seen that kid.

This is just one of those weird, weird news stories that messes you up because parts of it are so horrible and parts of it are a miracle and you know exactly where everything went down and you still don’t see how it’s possible.

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Also, I may be preoccupied with this story because we are having another ice storm and we lost power, so now I’m hanging out at my parent’s house and hiding in the computer room going batshit crazy. I swear to God, this is what just happened:

Mom: Stephie, do you need any hand soap?

Stephie: Yeah, actually. I do. Is it liquid?

Mom: Mmm-hmm. I have a big jug of soap. You want some?

Stephie: Yeah. Thanks, Mom.

Mom: Do you have a container with you that you can put it in?

Stephie: …

Mom: …

Stephie: Why would I CARRY AROUND-

Mom: Oh, shut up.

So if you’re an avid reader of my Myspace blog (which really just links you to this blog), you know that last night I went to Walgreens to get food for the ice storm. I know you are all dying to know what happened next!!

When I got there, there were about 30 kids standing in front under the awning, trying to look super-cool while choking on their cigarettes. There were also a bunch of them being retarded inside of the store, and even a couple making out in the greeting cards aisle.

I was oddly intimidated as I got out of my car, then I was annoyed, and then amused. I thought, “The fuck? Who hangs out at WALGREENS during an ICE STORM?”

But on the way home, I remembered the day that Katy, Arreya and I walked up to that very same Walgreens during a FRIGGIN’ HAIL STORM freshman year, and it seemed like such a cool, crazy adventure. It’s one of those days that I’ll remember forever for no particular reason. When you’re that age, it’s fun to just walk around and be alive. I miss that.

This morning I woke up with no power. Then I realized that, despite a Master’s Degree and Mensa eligibility, I only bought microwavable food. Microwavable, in case of a power failure. I am awesome.