I just had a weird moment of two people pop into my head. I have no idea why or how, but it made me sad.
When we were younger and growing up, there was a brother (Clifford) and sister (Holly) that lived down the street from us (we lived in a somewhat rural country setting) who lived in a home with a mother that looked like a spooked-out crack addict (I'm pretty sure she was) and many different men (Biker-types) coming and going.
We played with them quite a bit growing up. Holly was my age and Clifford was a year younger (so, he was Russ' age). Considering their hard life (poor/on welfare), they both seemed to be very happy kids, but you could tell they desperately wanted out of the lives they lived and knew it was not normal. My parents were always encouraging us to play them, I think knowing that if they were with us, they were in a better/safer place.
One day their mom came to our house yelling for them. Their mom was REALLY scary/intimidating to us. Anyway, I guess she wanted them home at a certain time and they forgot (like every 10 year old does) and she grabbed them both by the hair and started dragging them home, saying she was going to kill them. We were scared to death. My mom got home a bit later and we told her what happened. She wouldn't stand for it.
She immediately marched down to their house to confront her about what she was doing. I stood at the end of our dirt road, about 200' away (I was scared to death) as she and my mom were yelling/arguing about something (I think my mom was just upset about her actions around us, and about how she was treating her own kids). This lady finally charged at my mom to hit her, but she just bounced off my mom like my mom was a brick wall. It was awesome. Right at that time a guy from our church was driving by and saw the whole thing happen. He immediately stopped and by then, this lady was on the ground crying. He asked if my mom needed help, but she said no. He drove down the road some more by me to ask what was going on and then waited to make sure everything was OK.
I can't remember what my mom said to the lady (mom...maybe you can chime in here?) but I know my mom put her arm around her and tried to comfort her, immediately forgiving her.
Anyway, as far as the kids go, I just wonder what happened to them. I know a couple of years later they moved away. I can't remember if it was with their mom, or with their grandmother. I remember as we got older (into my teens) every once in a while Holly would come to visit my family (I think she would call my mom and then my mom would pick her up???), just for the day. For some reason I was really cold to her and I have no idea why. I wasn't flat out mean, but I just kind of came in the house, said "hi", then went on my way, like I had better things to do. I think she really just wanted to be around us and loved our family, but I had to be an idiot. I feel really badly for it now. So badly that I wish I could find them and see if they're OK and just let them know I'm sorry that I wasn't a good friend later on in life.
It's weird how these things just pop in your mind....
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That's something I'll never forget. It was like a spark went between us and she was thrown to the ground. She was afraid of me after that experience. I truly believe I was protected by the Holy Ghost. I simply told her that her life could be better, and that her children were always welcome at our home. She never bothered us again, and was always very nice to me from that moment on.
ReplyDeleteI think about that too. I remember a while later, Mom and I were driving home from somewhere and Nanette was hitch hiking, so mom picked her up. Back then I was afraid but now I understand why she did it.
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