I Think David’s Still Lost

DEAR MAMA,  I hope you don’t mind me calling you Mama. David always says he wants us to be one big family now we’re married. I guess he just wants me to love you as much as he does. In fact, Mama, he never stops talking about you. Why, there has been barely a moment on our honeymoon that he hasn’t taken the time to explain to me how I can do things better, the way you do. I’ve been learning to fold his clothes the way you do, make the bed the way you do, mix his drinks the way you do.

We went shopping for some family gifts and he was standing there at the market, teaching me how to bargain like you do. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I am real good with money and well Mama, I am ashamed to say, it all just got a bit much for me and I wandered off.

Now I have to tell you, I did not mean to lose him. I just walked about a bit, taking in the smell of the spices, looking at the exotic foods and smiling at people. I fully expected him to still be bargaining when I got back, on account of it always taking him a really long time to get it into my head how I can be more like you. And Mama, he is so dedicated to the task once he gets going; I didn’t think he’d even notice I wasn’t there. The man at the market, he said David had gone off to find me. He pointed in the direction David went and sure enough, it was the way I had gone.

The part of me that isn’t like you thought I should race off after him but he had been saying only yesterday that you would never go wandering around on your own because you knew that wasn’t something women should do. So I took a taxi back to the hotel. The thing is, he wasn’t there. The desk clerk said he hadn’t come back. That seemed strange to me. I was sitting there alone in our room, trying to think what to do and remembering he had been instructing me on how frugal you always are Mama, and how you would never spend an unnecessary dollar. I thought, since he was missing and there was just me, this hotel room was way too expensive, so I checked out.

I was sure he would realise I had absorbed his teachings and was headed for cheaper lodgings. Actually, as the taxi was driving away from the hotel, I thought I saw David going in. I can’t be sure though, because that man was in a terrible rush and I didn’t get a good look at him. Now Mama, I don’t want you to worry any. All that cash you and Papa gave David to bring out of the country before we left Melbourne was still safely tucked away in those fancy cases with the handy hidden compartments, and I took them with me, safe and sound.

Anyway, I waited for a couple of days and when David didn’t turn up; I phoned the hotel and they said he went a bit crazy when he heard I had gone and that things got kind of serious when the police arrived. Well Mama, I was so worried about him being lost, and I know the family doesn’t trust the police at all, but I had to call somebody. The desk clerk said David ran away when he saw them coming, so they didn’t get a chance to find him and I think David’s still lost.

Now I know you and Papa are probably feeling a bit anxious at this point and I wish I could tell you where David is, but I thought it best I leave the country, on account of being David’s wife and him running from the police. I figure they’ll find him eventually, so I sent his case to them; I can’t imagine what he’s doing without his luggage. I just thought I’d write and tell you not to concern yourselves. I left his passports because I’m sure he’ll want to use one or the other of them, but I took the money out of the case before I sent it. I could scarcely believe it when I counted it up, but I guess that’s the advantage of having your own family printing business.

David explained you would be joining us as soon as you could get safely away, but seeing how David is still lost, I called the Australian police to tell them he had gone missing overseas. That seemed to be of great interest to them, and I’m sure it will give you some comfort to know that they were really eager to find him. I thought you would want to be kept in the loop, especially as I’m not coming back, so I gave them your addresses. All of them. I’m sure they’ll be paying you a visit any time now.

With best wishes and gratitude,

Your loving daughter-in-law.

Gayle says: Gayle is a past winner of the Boroondara Literary Awards and The Margaret Hazzard Short Story Award. Her work has appeared in several anthologies including Storm and Award Winning Australian Writing. Gayle divides her time between writing, photography, birdwatching and bushwalking.