My husband lost me in downtown Des Moines one Saturday evening. It was a series of bad decisions, misunderstandings, wrong assumptions, lack of preparation, my passion for photography, wonderful scenery, and one-way streets. Even after recounting our stories, I do not see how it could happen, but I made the best of it.
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| Close-up of the Des Moines State Capitol |
Roberta’s Story
Around 8:30 p.m. we drove into the downtown area of Des Moines. It was the golden hour for getting pictures. I could see potential shots everywhere, including reflections off buildings, the sculpture garden, and general city life. Suddenly, the majestic capitol building at the end of the road came into view. I had turned down many shots in the last few minutes, but I had to have this one. Jeff urged me to get out of the car and get the picture. He would drive around the block and come back and get me. After he drove off, I realized that I had no money, no purse, and no cell phone. It looked like I needed to walk about 4 blocks east to get the perfect picture, which he understood. It had been a quick decision and all I had on me was my camera around my neck. I assumed it was just a quick drive around the block for him anyway.
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One of the many murals in Des Moines.
"No Action Too Small" by Chris Vance |
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| Reflection on a nearby store window. |
As I walked closer up the hill towards the capitol, I crossed over the Des Moines River and continued up Locust Street. I took shots of the lights along the river, city art on a building, and a few shots of the capitol as I walked. As I crossed the street at the crosswalk, I stopped to take a picture from the center of the road since there was no traffic. I was on the lookout for Jeff, the entire time and walked on the outside of parked cars and looked at every car to see if Jeff had parked in the many empty spaces ahead of me. I ended up walking about 10 blocks to the capitol. I was wondering where Jeff was and why he had not seen me. I took several shots after dark using the fencing and brickwork to steady the camera. My battery finally ran out, and I turned around and stood at the entrance to the walkway up to the capitol for a few minutes. Another camera enthusiast was walking by and I asked for his phone to make a call explaining what happened. He had left his phone in his car, but he explained that there was a bunch of one-way streets that may have been confusing for Jeff to find his way back onto Locust St. Maybe Jeff thought I was going to stay in the same area to get the shot and was waiting 10 blocks away near the bridge. I started walking back (westward) avoiding the construction site by crossing the road. I tried to flag down a police car but it did not stop. I felt safe enough because people were still on the street enjoying eateries and nightlife. The street was well lit. I made it halfway back and stopped at a hotel. They would not let me use the phone because it does not dial long distance. I realized I did not know Jeff’s number anyway. However, I had a plan to call my mother. She had Jeff’s cell number, but I hated to worry her. I asked a gentleman waiting outside the hotel to use his phone, which he gladly did. My mother was home and frantically called Jeff and explained where to meet me. I was only really worried that he was worried...(or maybe he wrecked the car... yikes!). I knew eventually we would find each other.
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View of the Des Moines State Capitol from Locust St.
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Jeff’s Story
Roberta and I were visiting Des Moines and decided to get a bite to eat in the downtown area right before dark. She commented that we were in the "golden hour" for taking pictures and started to admire places we were passing that would make great pictures. As unlikely as it seems, we forgot about eating and marveled at the sites.
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| Getting Closer to the Capitol on Locust Street |
We ended up on Locust Street right about sunset. As we drove east the state capitol came into view. There was just enough traffic that we could not just sit in the middle of the road and get pictures, but we were at a light, and there was time for Roberta to jump out of the car and grab some perfect sunset pictures. So, I encouraged her to jump out and grab some pictures. "I'll pick you up in a few minutes." She said, "Are you sure? I will be walking toward the capitol." She jumped out and shut the door.
The light changed. I drove over a bridge at the Des Moines River. I noted that it was an excellent place to get a photo. I remembered the tripod in the car and thought that Roberta might want it. I drove a little ways further and found a place to turn around. I drove back as far as I could looking for her. I turned around and parked on top of the bridge, got out of the car and walked back west on Locust Street quite a ways continuing to look for her.
I thought, "Maybe I drove further than I thought after I dropped her off." So I got back in the car, drove up to the capitol and turned around. In the meantime, I was calling her cell phone and getting no answer. By this time the sun had set and the last light was fading out of the sky. I drove back west as far as I could on Locust, then turned and went up a block and drove further west and then turned and got back on Locust. About this time I was thinking I would call 911 if I didn't find her by 9:15.
I drove east again to where the road ended at the capitol, turned around and drove back to a nice hotel on Locust, where I took a short restroom break. I called 911 at 9:30. They told me to go park on the bridge again and an officer would meet me there. By this time I was imagining all kinds of things that could have happened to her like: she was taking millions of pictures of some obscure thing under the bridge, and I was mad at her, or she had been mugged and was floating in the river and I was afraid for her, and so on.
About this time I got a call from my mother-in-law. She told me that Roberta was at the hotel down the street, she had left her phone at our Airbnb room and had waited for me at the capital for a long time; she was at the hotel now. I called 911 back and told them she had been found, and went and picked her up. We missed dinner.
Conclusion:
There is a great deal to learn from this escapade, but I (Roberta) had fun and got some great pictures. We came back the next day and ate a delicious meal at The Zombie Burger. What a place! Jeff has configured "find my friends" on my phone and can always find my phone (and possibly me if I have it on me) as long as the phone is turned on.
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