I took a seat and pulled out the concert program to see when my daughter would be performing. She was 5 years old, and this was her first violin recital. She would be playing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” and then her daddy would join her on guitar for a duet. Looking down the long list student/performers, I took note that she would be the third to play. The room was filling up when my husband leaned in next to me and whispered, “I have to run home. I’ll be right back.”

“What? You guys are third. You don’t have time to go home now,” I replied.

“I have to. I forgot my guitar.”

“It’s right there,” I pointed.

“No, the case is empty,” he said and added sheepishly, “I thought it felt a little light.”

Well, it all worked out in the end (after the panic).

Going to your guitar performance without a guitar is pretty bad, but it could be worse. Check out this story sent to me by Lawrence mom blogger, Julie (http://weeklyjules.blogspot.com):

“I remember gathering around the Christmas tree one year with my parents, grandmother and siblings to open presents after attending Christmas Eve Mass. We were all in our PJs, snacks laid out and were just about to begin, when the doorbell rang.

“Who on earth would come over on Christmas Eve?” my mom said, crossing the crowded living room.

“We all followed to see who our holiday surprise could be. Mom opened the door, and there, on our porch, stood my 10-year-old brother with my parents’ friends. Apparently, between the two cars we had driven to church and the excitement of the presents waiting at home, we had left one behind. Mom was mortified; the rest of us couldn’t stop laughing.”