911

It's raining tonight.
I make note of this because had it rained earlier
I wouldn't have been there.

Mom and Dad have been out of town and,
being that the irrigation water has been shut off for a while
and that it has still been warm here
and that Dad threw some seed in some bare spots on their yard,
I went to their house this afternoon to water with the watering can.

I would have been gone and missed it all but just as I was ready to get in my car
I remembered that I forgot to check to make sure there was no mail....

I checked.  None.
I turned to leave
and as I was walking away
I heard a voice-
shaking, not quite loud enough to understand.
I turn.
 "are you talking to me?"

And then I see the face.
A young teenager.  (I found out later he was 16)
Carrying a dog who was shaking as bad as the crying boy.

"Please help me.  
My mom hasn't taken her medication and then she goes crazy.
I am scared"

I don't know what to do.
"Please, don't leave me!"

I don't know what I say but he follows me and when I ask what I should do
he tells me to call the police.  911.

I've never done that before but, then, I've never been in this situation.
I am scared too and by this time the mother has come outside.  Coming towards us.
She's angry.  I am not really sure where the anger is directed right then.
Me or him.

I take refuge with the boy in my parents garage
while on the phone with the 911 operator waiting for someone to come...
The mother stands outside.

There, of course, is more to the story.
I did talk with the police.
I did have to stay until they released me to go.
The mother did want to press charges against me for taking him in the garage!

I don't know what happened as I was told I could go before they were done.
I don't know what the real story was behind the scene.
And I don't know if I did the best thing although the police told me I did the right thing.

And on the way home I cried (actually I cried talking to the police!)
And I can't get this family off of my mind. (There is a divorce going on...)
And I wonder what is going on with the mother and son tonight.
And I wonder if he is safe.

And I now know that this is going on all over my little part of the world
and today it became reality to me.
And I cry for what we as a people have become.

And I only know of ONE hope.

If it had rained earlier I wouldn't have been there...