Look at the Time!

It is nearly 3 in the morning and Michelle has not yet come home. She finished work at 7 last night. Her Mobile phone is switched off. I am worried. Why? She is 23yrs old.

I am worried because I don't know where she is or if she is safe.
She was far short of her work targets this afternoon.
She has been down, mostly because of missing Ian.
I don't think the job she is doing is what she thought it was going to be.
She has been drinking a lot lately and staying out late, plus working overtime, and she is burning herself out.
No wonder she is tired! She stays in bed a lot when she is off, and she doesn't do much else.
There is a horrible culture in England of people going for drinks together after work.
I've never thought it wise to mix business and pleasure because too much can go wrong.
This whole lifestyle is unhealthy and can't do her any good.

My feelings are mixed. If she is off having a good time, I am angry that she did not have the common courtesy to let me know that she wouldn't be in tonight. That is just as self-centred and inconsiderate as leaving half finished pizzas, coke bottles and crisp packets lying all over the lounge near the clean laundry she can't be bothered to put away. I am her mother, not her nanny or personal maid.

But what if it isn't simply selfishness? What if she is depressed somewhere or has been arrested or taken ill? Is she with a bad and dangerous crowd? Has she resigned her job because of struggling to meet targets? Is she sitting under a tree in the park, frozen cold? (she has done that before). Is she drunk and passed out somewhere? It is cold - there is a real risk of hypothermia. Or has she had something with banana in it? She is terribly allergic to that and the reaction makes her swell up in seconds, blocking off her airway. Banana goes in some drinks, I believe.

Where is she?

Its going to be a looooooooooooooong night!!!