Code Adam.

On Monday, a child was lost in Wal-Mart. This is known as a "Code Adam."

The announcer on the PA says, "Wal-Mart assoicates, we have a Code Adam - a boy with khaki shorts and a t-shirt that says United Methodist."

Then everybody goes looking for him.

I don't really comprehend why a code needs to be used for this - especially when it becomes abundantly clear within context that we're talking about a human being here. It's not as if a bomb threat is going to have khaki shorts and a t-shirt for a local church.

The child was difficult to find. It took nearly 10 minutes, which is unheard of.

Needless to say, I was very intrigued by all this. Abductions. Lost children. Runaways. All of this is endlessly fascinating for me.

I tried running away from home when I was five years old. I packed my bags and announced to my entire family what I was doing. I got to the front door - with no one watching (just sitting in the basement, watching TV). And I started bawling and ran back into the house.

My sister was waiting around the corner for me.