The Silhouette of a stranger

     Living in a small town in Nebraska led most residents to feel a sense of safety.  My dad must have believed that as well since he never locked our doors, slept with the windows wide open, and allowed his five year old daughter the freedom to wander around unattended.  Maybe he thought the neighbors were watching out for me, maybe he assumed his teenage sons were.  I don't believe he thought anything would happen to his only daughter as he went about his life leaving me behind.

Playing outside my house, I too must have felt that safety or I was simply too young to know any different, yet I played outside with my dolls oblivious to the young man who walked through the alley behind our home.  He however, noticed me, noticed my surroundings, and realized I was alone.  When he approached me, I looked up unafraid by his appearance and he muffled "I lost my dog".  Hindsight, I should have ran into my house leaving this stranger to find his dog on his own.   Of course I wanted to help him, after all, if Tipsey was lost I would want someone to help me find her.  I ran around my house calling out whatever name the guy had given me, my voice echoed off the walls of my house.  This must have reassured the guy I was in fact 'alone'.  He motioned me toward the alley as though he thought his dog may have gone that particular way. 

    The purpose of alleys was meant to place your trash cans and were hidden paths for the most part from a persons view.  Unfortunately, I was just too young to comprehend the intent of this young man as I escorted him down the alley of our block.

     When I reflect on his appearance,  my mind can see this young mans youth. He couldn't be much older than my oldest brother.  Maybe he knew my brother, or why else would I so quickly follow this young man?  All the same, I resolved to trust him as there was no reason not to trust him.

     We kept walking farther and farther away from my house, through the alley and into the next residential alley looking for his dog.  There weren't any warning signs, he didn't grab me, he only motioned for me to look behind a bush along side this deserted alley.  My innocent five year old instincts obeyed his request.  My only defense were the tears I cried from what was to follow.
  
     If I ever saw that man again, I sure didn't remember what he looked like even if I passed him on the street.   I was just too young to pay attention to his face.  Even at the frail age of five I knew what I was seeing was not for my little eyes to see.

I've since convinced myself if my mother had been alive, none of this would have happened to me.  She would have protected me, keeping an eye on me, and prevented a stranger from ever hurting her innocent little girl.