GONE WITH THE WIND...THE TALE OF THE MISSING NINTENDO

It's a sad day in Feldman-ville. My five year old son, who has been addicted to his Nintendo the last two months and can show his friends how to maneuver through eight levels on Super Mario Bros., and even has a blister on his index finger from playing the darn thing so much, has officially lost his prized possession. He had it before we went out to dinner with our friends and their kids tonight but after he got the chance to ride home with them in their car, he jumped out without his Nintendo and then when he attempted to find it, it was gone.

Into thin air - his favorite toy has just completely disappeared. I can't imagine how no one has been able to find it. I made sure to check the table at the restaurant and even the floor and even called the maitre'd but there was no sign of the Nintendo.

And so, my little boy went to bed in tears tonight - his favorite toy in the whole wide world is gone. Gone with the wind. I bet Rhett and Scarlett never thought their romance would be reduced to a story about a missing Nintendo but such is life when your world revolves around technology. And now, my dilemma is do I buy him a new DS with 4 new games or let him mope around the house until his next birthday?

I know I should teach him a lesson and make him appreciate his toys by showing him what can happen when you lose them, but when he flashes those puppy dog eyes at me and the tears start flowing down his precious cheeks, I just melt. Something tells me I'll be hitting Target tomorrow for a black Nintendo with a handy dandy Sponge Bob carrying case. And this time around - like an episode of the Brady Bunch we're instituting a new rule pronto...Mom always said - don't bring the Nintendos outside the house!