Dots

Sometimes we can’t always connect the dotted lines, but then there are other times when it is easy. Years ago, my husband was asked to run for township commissioner. He had good solid, middle of the road, viewpoints and was a good citizen. So he agreed to run. As in any political race, there are others who do not agree, which is what makes a democracy fun, but not always. At one earlier time, my husband asked a man in the neighborhood to please clean up after his dog when the dog was in the park. Now this park was directly across the street from our home and our young sons frequently played in it. That is what the park was designed for, children to play. The sign that welcomed people also stipulated that there were to be no dogs in this area. There is also an ordinance in our township that clearly tells dog owners that their pets must be leashed when outside. Not all people agree with politics and some feel that they are superior to the law. At least they believe that the ordinances are not for them or their pets, after all it is a difficult and messy job to pick up after the dog. It is even more of a difficult and messy job to clean off shoes from children who played in the “dog free” park and tracked the odoriferous material throughout the house. This was the case with this man and my husband. My husband did not take kindly to the mess and the man did not take kindly to the request to leash and clean up after his dog. The two men did not like each other, so when my husband started his run for the political position, the man made it clear that not only would he vote for someone else, he would vote for the person who likes tracking in doggydoo. In a small community like the one in which we live, everyone knows everyone else and we all know whose children are whose. This man knew what our boys all looked like and they likewise knew him. They did not care much for him and I imagine that he did not care much for them either, or any of the other kids in the area. This was made clear, but not in a way that would cause any suspicion. Then one day it changed. My eldest son was walking home from school and this man saw him and yelled some unintelligible something out of his truck window at him. It did not seem to be too bad, something on the line of I’m not voting for your father. Then my son, knowing that the man was not the nicest person in the area panicked and ran towards an area that was away from the road so he could not be followed. In doing so, he lifted his hand over his shoulder and moved his backpack which looked like he was offering the man the middle finger. Then it got worse, the man became angry and called the teenager names and threatened him. My husband and I were alerted and we in turn made a call to the local police department. Now, we really did not think that the man would act on anything as his persona was more mouth than muscle, but we never took chances with our children. The man was spoken to by the officer who explained that children in his district would never be threatened like that and that he could take it as a warning of the strongest kind. So far so good. The man never made a squeak to any children again. Now more dots… Under the circumstances I decided to pick my son up from the high school after school for a while until things calmed down, or at least the poltickin’ was over. So, child got a ride, man kept to himself, dog was put on a leash and all seemed well. Until we heard. My son always took a specific route home, as did several other kids, the next day after the altercation my son rode home with me, but another boy walked the regular path. At the same corner where the man denounced my son another man appeared. This one not so mouthy, quiet and deliberate. He saw a young boy walking and pulled his van close to him. He started to grab the teen and pull him towards the open, gaping mouth of the car. It was luck that a neighbor who knew the child saw the action and ran to the rescue. Upon seeing the adult, the new man jumped into the car and sped off. The next day, another boy was accosted. This teen was quick and immediately knocked on a nearby door which was presently opened to him. The police were called again. Unbelievably, another boy, that same day was “offered a ride” by this seemingly disturbed character. “I have things you want to see,” he implored to the high schooler. Again, thankfully, a thwarted attempt. The high school was put on alert and announcements went out. Even the man with whom my husband quarreled was questioned, but his truck or looks did not match up in the slightest. Besides since everyone knows everyone else, he was never suspect. Eventually, the man, the stranger, was apprehended and when questioned he remarked that he wanted boys for sex. Instead he got a term in a mental institution from which he came. The neighborhood quieted down once again. Children once again ventured a walk from home, but parents still made sure that they arrived within a reasonable time. It came very quickly to my attention that if the man with whom my husband had words had not frightened my son, and subsequently myself, then I would not have gone to retrieve my son from school. He had a safe ride home, and I wonder had he been on the street that day, when the first boy was accosted would it have been him? I am sure that it would have been, and I am not so sure that someone would have been there to rescue him so astutely. Sometimes the dots connect in odd, special ways. So, imagine that, I thank the rude man for saving my son from something much worse than foul language and doggy do. My husband lost the political race by not so many votes, the man lost his dog to old age and young boys and girls walk home from school. Neighbors still watch out for them and people nod and say hello as they walk their leashed dogs.