When I was young, anytime my Mother would search around in the storage room for anything she couldn’t find she’d mutter “it must have been in that box that got lost when we moved”.

Over the years many things were supposed to have been in that box and even now she’ll say it. I figure it must be one enormous box. If the box were big enough to hold all of the items it’s supposed have it would be bigger than our house I figure. Bigger than a breadbox for sure.

Now that I’m an adult and have a home of my own I have a different theory. My house burned down in 2003 and now every time I can’t find something I figure “oh it must have gotten lost in the fire.”  Apparently the apple doesn’t fall that far from the tree.

My fire theory however has a couple of advantages. It’s not limited in size like a box would be and I can always blame things I’ve gotten rid of on the fire as well.

Mom: “Merlene, where did you put that lovely Chinese vase?”

Me: (remembering a vase with baby blue, lilac and gold designs on it) “Hmm… I forgot all about that. It must have been one of the things that got destroyed in the fire.”

The best part of this is usually Mom doesn’t remember what year she gifted me with an item that’s been “lost in the fire” (usually donated to Goodwill) so far at least

Do you have a “bottomless” box of missing items in your life?

Filed under: chatter by Merlene