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The only time that we became really frightened and upset over Keaton’s actions at our house was on the last day of school at Critzer Elementary. Carl and I had picked him up at school instead of his riding his school bus to the high school to meet his parents. There had been a fifth grade “graduation” assembly we had attended, since his parents were busy with last day happenings at high school. Keaton had wanted to ride the bus, his usual routine, so he was unhappy with us for the change. After we had brought him home, he went into another room to be by himself, we thought. However, a little later, we realized that he was not in the house or the fenced-in backyard. We called to him, searched up and down the street, and also his house. All in vain! Just as we were ready to take the car to look for him, we received a call from the school that he had walked back to school, and had been found in the cafeteria eating pizza. We went back to pick him up a second time. He received our frightened and upset lecture. After all, he had walked several blocks with no sidewalks and had crossed a very busy highway. The end result was that we were all very relieved and grateful to have him safely home.

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