the bare foot thief.

her tiny nail painted fingers
felt around the cold hard surface above her head.
she didn't know what she was looking for
but hoped to discover some sort of treasure.
treasure she found,
tiptoes strained on the bathroom floor
her dainty hands cupped tightly the smallest little vial,
my contact case.
she grasped her find in her hand
and quickly scurried away with her treasure.
no one had seen what she happened upon,
no one the wiser.

until mom is fumbling around with makeup and brushes
fighting the clock to round up her beauty
and wielding the toothbrush and then discovering with horror
that her windows to seeing the world clearer
are missing.
she racks her brain wondering when she last had them,
frantic as the clock continue to tick
and she has somewhere she needs to be and soon.
the sick feeling washes over,
along with anger and frusteration
that a small little female thief is among them
and she hasn't the time to look,
so throws on the coke bottles
and heads out the door.

who even steals contacts lenses?
doesn't she know they cost hundreds of dollars
and it is difficult to function without them?
of course not. she's one.
she eyed a treasure, the tiny bubbles
and the fact that such a little container
fit perfectly in her clenched fist
brought her only delight.
she could care less that they belong to mom.
they were gone.
and i was blind.

i decided to beat the miniature thief at her own game.
i formulated a plan, determined
to get my cherished [and neccesary] contact case back.
i crouched low on my knees and looked into her
brown eyes.
she looked at me with a challenge and a sparkle,
i think she thought we were playing a game.
i'll give you a game little lady.
a game of entrapment.

i handed her an exact replica of my original case
[ok, i had an extra one]
and asked her to show me where it belonged.
she snatched it so fast, 
I had to be on her back like a vise
lest she fool me once again.
she wandered around the house, 
I wondered myself where this wild goose chase would lead us.
But I knew I was onto something.
she walked with purpose, 
as if she was headed to a specific spot
and I hoped she would lead me to her lair
[or where my missing contacts were hidden.]

the thief, stood there,
her wavy curls wild upon her head
i held my breath as she paused.
she looked at the decoy in her hand,
and then leaned toward a metal drawer
that holds the family's shoes.
she proceeded to place the empty case
into the drawer and i followed her eyes
follwed her little fingers
and there, amid the bed of shoe laces and rubber
was my missing contact case shoved among them.

Alas! that which was lost was found!
I'll just call myself Mama, P.I from now on...

epologue:
the bare foot thief was contained
and the missing case was restored.
it is now kept in a locked safe
away from baby girl fingers
and the thievery has ceased...for now.