Simply Speaking
Panic at the supercenter
[based on actual events]
Getting Started
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Agatha was excited for her dinner party later that evening. She needed to buy some groceries from the big supercenter, so she decided to take her 4-year-old son Riley with her. She told Riley to hold onto the shopping cart tightly as they walked through the store. "Stay close, Riley," she reminded him, “and don’t let go of the cart.”
As Agatha looked for the ingredients she needed, they first went to the fruit and vegetable aisle to pick out some fresh produce for the dinner party. Agatha carefully selected ripe tomatoes and crisp lettuce.
Next, they headed to the pasta and sauce aisle to find the main ingredients for Agatha's famous spaghetti dish. Agatha compared various jars of pasta sauce, trying to decide which one would taste the best. But when she turned to ask Riley for his opinion on dessert, her heart skipped a beat – he was nowhere to be seen.
She called out his name, but there was no answer. Panic started to rise within her as she frantically looked around the aisle. With each passing second, Agatha's worry grew, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios.
Agatha started to look for Riley in different parts of the store. She checked the toy section first because she knew Riley loved toys. But Riley wasn't there. Agatha asked some workers if they had seen Riley, but they hadn't.
Next, Agatha went to the clothes section. She looked around carefully, hoping to find Riley hiding among the clothes racks. But again, Riley was nowhere to be found. Agatha's worry grew stronger.
Feeling more and more scared, Agatha went to the electronics aisle. She looked behind every TV and computer display, hoping to spot Riley's curly hair. But he wasn't there either. Agatha didn't know what to do.
Agatha knew she needed help. She found a worker and explained that she couldn't find her son. Together, they alerted store security. As a safety measure, he initiated a lockdown of the building. The worker quickly called for more help, and they started to search the whole store together. Security made an announcement over the store speakers asking for customers to be on the lookout for a young four year old male with curly hair. He asked Riley to come to the front customer service counter.
Agatha continued to desperately look for her son.
A kind woman accompanied Riley to the customer service counter. She said she had found him near a display of stuffed animals in the toy section. Agatha rushed over and hugged him tightly, with tears of relief in her eyes. Agatha felt so grateful to have her son back safe and sound. She knew she would never forget this scary moment, but she was just happy to have Riley by her side again.
Later, Agatha taught Riley about safety and how he shouldn’t wander off in a store full of strangers.
Comprehension Questions
  1. Why did Agatha need to go shopping at the supercenter?
  2. What did she instruct Riley to do as they walked through the store?
  3. What aisle was she on when she noticed Riley was missing?
  4. She turned to ask Riley's opinion about what?
  5. What was the first section she checked after Riley went missing?
  6. Who did she turn to for help?
  7. What safety precaution did the store security take?
  8. What announcement did the store security make over the speakers?
  9. Where was Riley finally found?
  10. What lesson did Agatha have to teach Riley after this incident?
Discussion
  1. Do an internet search.
  2. Talk about the reasons children and young people go missing.