I looked back on the escalator to make sure that Arnauld and the big girls had got on safely. Rose clutched to my neck as my diaper bag jam packed with snacks and traveling distractions hung heavy on my shoulder. I expected to see two happy girls riding down, they’re always begging to ride the escalator.
Instead, I saw Adi, hanging onto the moving handrail, as if dangling from the monkey bars in the school playground. Her light up unicorn sneakers clunking under the moving stairs.
“Grab her!” I called out to Arnauld who was standing behind her. Didn’t he see her?!?
Safely standing in the moving steps, Adi burst into tears clutching her hand. “I hurt my fingers!” she cried.
My eyes then met Wren who was sitting on one of the moving steps, wide eyed. “What happened to you?” I exclaimed.
“My foot got stuck and I fell. My butt hurts,” she cried. I pulled her to her feet just in time to step off of the escalator.
As we stood, waiting for Arnauld to print our boarding passes, I consoled two crying children.
A shared granola bar and a few Starbursts later, we were moving towards security and then the seemingly never ending trek to our gate.
We approached another escalator, fear spread over Adi’s face. “I’ll get you on,” I assured her, placing Rose down at my feet and lifting Adi up and onto a step. I let her go and lifted Rose almost at once- I half released a sigh thinking we had all successfully made it on this time…That’s when I saw Adi’s right foot, half way between two steps. As the steps moved and grew more uneven, time seemed to stop.
I watched Adi tumble from one step to another. A look of panic took over as she seemed to silently plead with me to save her. I worried she’d somehow get caught in the monster steps, relentlessly continuing their journey.
“Arn,” I called to my husband leading the way, with two suitcases in tow. He looked back at me, clueless. I stood frozen, Rose clinging to my leg, just watching Adi fall.
“I’ll hold her,” a voice from behind said as a kind stranger reached for Rose. At that same moment, Adi’s tumbling body landed safely on one step, a messy pile of fear and tears.
I quickly thanked the kind stranger, scooped up Rose and ran to Adi. I got Adi standing just in time for the “big step” off the escalator, where we once again huddled to assess the damage and recover.
Still not at our gate, we pressed on, unsure of what dangers may lay ahead. As yet another escalator came into view, Arnauld looked back at me, and without a word we all headed towards the nearest elevator.
Where There Is Joy 
Yikes! Escalators always have and will
scare me! This terrifying experience you gave dliced is exactly why! I can only imagine the panic in your gut as you watched each incident! The ending to this slice is genius! Thanks for sharing!
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That was terrifying! Can’t imagine juggling 3. Glad all are safe.
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Traveling with three little adventurers brings joy and challenges. I love the emotion in this story.
This sentence grabs me:
“I’ll hold her,” a voice from behind said as a kind stranger reached for Rose. At that same moment, Adi’s tumbling body landed safely on one step, a messy pile of fear and tears.
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I clearly remember lifting each of three sos onto moving escalators, though they’re all adults now. You took me back to that anxiety so readily. Let alone the traveling with three little kids!
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I still don’t like escalators! Having worked retail for a couple of years, we heard all kinds of horror stories about kids getting hurt. The elevator was a good call!
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I loved reading your airport adventure (mishaps) from the perspective of super mom watching and anticipating it all. I guess that’s why when I read “He looked back at me, clueless” I actually chuckled. So glad a stranger behind you could help. So glad you found the elevator!
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Oh no! That sounds so scary to watch. Glad she ended up okay. I love that you shared the photo and we can see that Adi’s t-shirt says, “Mighty by Nature”. She must be! (And you must be, too, to be able to handle all the moving parts of traveling with young kids.)
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Oh no!! Glad you escaped to the elevator. Hope you had a great trip after that.
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Goodness! What a series of scares & mishaps. Glad you all managed in the end. Just the other day I watched a young child get the go-ahead from her mother to ride up an escalator on her own. The mother had a baby in a carrier on her chest and after a signal midway up, joined her daughter upward bound. Of course her toddler did not wait before starting back down and I watched in anticipation of needing to jump in, but after a slightly uneven start the child righted herself with her mother able to catch up and secure a successful dismount. Escalator stories should be a whole genre.
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