Yesterday, a relative of mine came to my house. I think it was my mom’s brother’s wife’s mom’s son’s something, but he was really friendly.

To celebrate him coming over, we were going to invite him to eat at a buffet. While they were chatting downstairs, however, my uncle helped me get rid of a Trojan (virus) on the desktop computer.

After a complicated process (that I learned, of course), he went downstairs to take care of the guest. After all, it was his wife’s mom’s son’s something, right?

My aunt had also come over, and I heard the door slam as she left.

That is, I thought I heard her leave.

About fifteen minutes later, when I came downstairs to ask them why they haven’t left yet, I saw only my aunt holding my uncle’s baby. My mom was also hanging around.

But where was my dad, my uncle, my uncle’s wife, and the guest?

I shot into the living room to see if there was anybody there. There wasn’t a soul.

Then I ran into the master bedroom to see if they were admiring my dad’s oil painting of my mom. Not that I actually thought they were going to be there; I couldn’t hear a sound.

Just then, my mom looked at me.

“What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean, what am I doing here? Where are they?” I didn’t need to explain what they meant.

“They’ve already left.”

What?

I couldn’t believe it. When I thought my aunt had left, the guest, along with my dad, had left!

I felt furious at my dad for leaving me here. I shot off to the phone, half crying, and furiously dialed the number.

Wrong number. Oops. I punched the number again, and this time I got through.

“D-dad, why d-did you l-leave me h-here?” I whimpered.

“Leave you— oops.”

Ten minutes later, I was sitting in my mom’s car as she drove me over to the Panda, the buffet we had chosen.

I recovered nicely on the car and was all smiles when I got to the buffet. My dad apologized, and I was all happy.

Until I noticed that the relative had a iPhone. Still happy, but dismayed a bit. Everyone’s got an iPhone except for me. And that guy. And that person…