Mike Gets Kidnapped

The side effects of some prescription drugs can have devastating results. We all know the importance of understanding what our doctor is prescribing.

Years ago, when we lived on the river, one such incident happened. I remember it being summer because the boat was docked in our pier waiting for its next water adventure. We had a car rental in our driveway and once again, both of our cars in the garage. My wife, Carrie, had been involved in a traffic accident the week before and our car had gotten some serious body shop attention. But now, it was resting back in its spot in the garage.

Monday morning had arrived with a start. A busy day of work and errands lay ahead of us. I felt particularly tired from a fun weekend of boating with friends. I suffered through a rough shave and hot shower. Carrie was dressed and sorting through her daily jewelry. I toasted up some bagels for us and we ate in the bedroom and bathroom. Mondays, ugh…

I was ready first so I kissed my wife and left through the garage, opening the garage door to the outside as I passed by the switch. I walked up to the car rental and climbed inside. I closed the garage door with the remote. I backed out of the driveway, dropped it into Drive and left for work. That’s what I did. Nothing else.

***

Carrie’s morning began differently.

For one thing, she left the bagel untouched. The only thing in her tummy was some green tea. Secondly, she had an extra dose of some prescribed medicine that she was starting. She attached earrings and touched up her makeup in the mirror.

Suddenly, she heard a car door slam, assuming correctly that I was leaving. She wanted to say goodbye one more time. She rushed downstairs to the garage. But something was very wrong. Both cars were still in the garage. She began to panic. What has become of Mike? Both our cars are here.

She looked throughout the house, twice. He wasn’t here. She checked the garage again. Both cars.

What if he went to one of our neighbors? Not likely but it’s worth checking. She rang up one neighbor, then two, three. She called all of our neighbor friends. They had not seen Mike this morning but maybe they could come down and look too. Nobody wants to work on Mondays.

***

Carrie made one call after another to my cell phone. But I did not hear them. My phone was muted. She wondered if perhaps I may have been kidnapped?

Our friends began looking around the outside of the house. They walked out onto the pier and looked around and inside the boat. No Mike. One of them had an idea. He returned moments later with two farmer rakes. Working together they moved around the pier and tested the water for a body. My body.

Carrie made more calls to my muted phone. I arrived at work some 45 minutes after leaving the driveway. I gathered my hat, briefcase, and tea. That’s when I realized I hadn’t grabbed my phone. Ugh, it’s muted!

As I walked to my work site through the parking lot, I checked the phone. “I have fifteen missed calls!” I said out loud. I began listening to them. One by one I could hear Carrie wanting to know where I was. The tone in her voice began to sound more urgent, concerned and then scared. I couldn’t take it anymore. I stopped the recordings and called her just outside of the building.

“Carrie, it’s me. What is going on?” I tried to sound calm.

“Where the #&$%@ are you?”

“I’m at work. I’m ready to go in. What’s wrong?”

“How did you get there? Both cars are in the garage.” She was scared.

“I took the car rental in the driveway.”

“OMG!!! I forgot about the rental. I have been completely frantic over you being kidnapped. Russ and Greg are using rakes to find your body in the water.”

I could not believe my ears. What has happened to Carrie? I have seen her get a little edgy from too much coffee, sometimes medications. “Carrie, did you start that new medicine this morning?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t take anymore. How do you feel?”

“I feel shaky, scared. I don’t feel well.” Her voice sounded jittery.

“I want you to call the doctor and let him know what’s going on.”

“I’m going to right now. I think it’s too strong.” She said.

“I’m coming home. I will be there soon” and with that I called my boss and walked back to the rental.

***

So there it was. A bad prescription. Turns out the dosage was enough for a large horse. Carrie had exceeded her dosage by ten times. We were lucky that day. We never hesitate to question the thinking behind our doctor’s recommendations. It’s our bodies and we want to feel good.

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