What if?

I don't know if I am a writer because I can't stop playing the what if game or if I play the what if game because I am a writer. To me the two most important questions I ask are what next? and what if?

The kids and I went to the Sheep and Wool Festival today. As we were getting ready to go home the announcer said that he needed everyone's help. A blonde five year old girl wearing pink was missing and he went on with some more details and something I didn't quite catch that sounded like something about a strange adult.

We went on out to the van and I was sitting in the driver's seat, getting ready to go when a guy caught my eye. He was carrying a handmade broom and a little blonde girl dressed in pink and flowers. She was deeply asleep. He carried her past us and put her in the back of the van. He started fiddling around with things, rearranging them.

Cul turned to me and said he thought it was very creepy and I agreed. It was creepy. Cul asked what we should do and I wasn't sure. I finally decided better safe than sorry and I told Cul to write down the guy's license plate number and to go back into the Festival to see if the girl was still missing.

As he walked away the guy started changing the little girl's clothes. Again something that could be totally innocent but what if it weren't? He took the pink clothes and stuffed them deep into the back of the van.

Cul eventually came back to say that the little girl had been found and the guy who was making the announcements talked to him as though he were stupid for not knowing the little girl was no longer lost.

I think the announcer guy acted like a dick. Maybe we did too. Maybe we were paying attention to something that was not any of our business at all, although it seemed like it might be our business after we were told to find a girl of this description. Maybe we were being obnoxious and maybe we owe that guy an apology. But still, what if?