THE NEAR MISS

He always hummed that tune when he was happy, and today was no exception. He had worked for 3 whole months on this and his labour was going to bear fruit today.

He eased the car out of his drive way, switched on the blue tooth of his phone, adjusted the rear view mirror and flicked over to his favourite radio channel.

The early morning sun was filtering through the leafy trees that lined the road from his house. And as some of rays caught his eye, he felt a certain uneasiness. 

He had forgotten something. He couldn't figure it out and soon he started panicking. That was very unlike him. He planned everything to perfection and for all eventualities.

He did a quick sense check,

Riight trouser pocket : wallet √

Left trouser pocket: kerchief √

Back seat: briefcase √

Shirt pocket: glasses,  glasses????

That's it! 

In his eagerness to get to work,  he had forgotten.

His mind had been preoccupied by this project. He cursed himself as he couldn't function now. He realised how much he was totally dependent.

At the next roundabout, he turned back, hoping that the gate to his driveway wasn't locked .

It wasn't.  He jumped out of his car. Rushed through the main door.

And there he found.

Sat at the bottom of stairs,

All of her 4 feet 3 inches, 

In her pinafore red grey school dress,

Elbows resting on her knees,

Her chin resting on one  palm and 

His glasses in the other.

He quickly kissed her forehead, took his glasses, tugged at her neatly pleated pony and jumped back into his car. He always pretended to lose his glasses and she always found them. 

The joy on her face when she handed them to him was worth it.

He watched the little figure in his rear view mirror as he drove out again.

Realising, what had he missed that morning ...