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After searching for fifteen minutes, Janna and I finally admit failure.  We can’t find Kookie.  We left him in the checkout line forty-five minutes ago.  Surely by now he’s at least halfway to the checkout stands.  Except that he’s not.  I glance at her.  

“Let’s just go get in line again.”  

As we walk to the back of the line, I dial Kookie’s cellphone.  It goes straight to voicemail.  My eldest son greets me before the beep of the voicemail signals me to leave my message. 

“Kookie?  Where are you?” I ask the voicemail.

“I’m right here.”

What?  I glance up.  There’s Kookie, about two-thirds of the way back towards the end of the line.

“Kookie!  This is all the farther you’ve moved?”

He shrugs.  “I had to go to the bathroom a few minutes after you left.”

“So you started over again?” Janna is outraged.  “Jungkook!”  Oh.  Wow.  She’s really irritated now.  “Why didn’t you call us to meet you here?  We could have held our place in line.”

He shrugs again, his dark hair flopping into his eyes as he bends his head forward to make it easier to study his feet.  “My phone is dead.”

Great.

“You forgot to charge it last night?”

“I guess.”  He’s studying the toe of his right shoe.  I glance down at it.  What’s so fascinating?

Janna sighs.

I glance at Kookie.  “Now you and I will have time to shop.  Do you know what you’re looking for?”

He shakes his head.  I turn towards Janna.  “Is your phone working?”

She nods.  “Of course, Mom!  I didn’t forget to charge mine last night!”  She glares at Kookie.  He doesn’t notice.  He’s still studying his toe.

“Do you need to use the restroom before Kookie and I shop?”

“Not a bad idea,” she comments as she dumps her armload of gifts into my arms before making a beeline for the bathroom.

Kookie glances up at me.  “Let me help you, Mom.”  

He reaches over and relieves my burden.  I am left with only one light present.  I smile at my helpful son.

“Thank you, Kookie.  So…you have no idea where to start shopping?”

He shakes his head.  “Can we just look around?  I’ll know it when I see it.”

I nod.  

A half hour later, we still haven’t seen it.  Whatever it is.  I may not know what it is.  But I’m pretty sure I know for whom it is.

My phone rings.  “Mom!  I’m nearly at the checkout.  Are you done?”

“Yes.  We’ll meet you at the front.”

I lock my phone and peer up at Kookie.  It’s still so funny to me that he is taller than I am now.

“Ready to go?”

He shrugs.  “I guess…”

His mystery gift remains elusive.  I imagine he’s looking for the perfect present.  This may take a while.