My Inner Robin Hood

So, as I was sitting here contemplating what to write, I had a bit of a fright involving the kids that I babysit. Dr. M, forgive me, for this post will surely come after midnight, but I think the post itself will make up for its lateness. It is 11:45 as I'm writing this, and even though this is somewhat of an embarrassing moment for me, I simply have to share.

Sometimes I babysit my friend Alicia’s two children. The oldest is a boy and he’s ten, and his little sister is 7. They are two of my favorite kids in the world! I’ve known them since they were about 2 and 5, and they are the most precious kids. Granted, they can drive me crazy and be a handful, but I would still go to the mats for them. Well, I babysit them at their house, which is a loft on top of a barn out in the sticks. Ever heard of the movie Deliverance? It is not SAGU appropriate and I’ve only seen parts of it years ago, but her property sometimes gives me the feeling like I’ve just entered this movie. She lives next door to her parents, who have a house just to the side of the barn.

So, this being said, one would understand why I, at 11:30 p.m, would get a little jumpy when I hear someone in the barn below the loft. I heard the door slam shut, and I thought that maybe Alicia was home early. I waited and waited for her to come upstairs, but I never heard a sound. I rose from the couch and looked out the window and, to my horror, Alicia’s car was not in the drive way.

The first thing I think to do is to call my fiancé. He’s my protector and one of the only people who make me feel safe. He answers the phone on the first ring and as soon as I tell him what I heard, he rushes over. I texted Alicia and tell her what I heard, and she told me she would text her dad to check if he was awake, and gave me the address to the house in case I had to call 911. Zach was on his way and she lives so far out in the country that it usually takes the police 30 minutes to even make it out to her house. My best bet was to sit tight and wait for my knight in shining armor to come and rescue me.

I don’t need to tell you, dear reader, that I was nearly scared out of my pants. But I’ve been in pretty hairy situations before and I can usually stay pretty calm if I feel like I am in danger. My first thought wasn’t for myself, however. It was for those two angels asleep in the other room. I walked to the kitchen and pulled out the longest, sharpest cutting knife I could find, and I stood by the door, watching and waiting for Zach to arrive. I just kept thinking about what I would do if some stranger with a chainsaw (because, of course, he would have a chainsaw) came sauntering up the stairs. How would I protect these kids? I’m 5 foot 4 and not very strong, but I’m mean as all get out when I’m scared or angry, so I guess I had that going for me. It was also a pretty sharp knife. I could keep the kids in their room and make them lock the door. I could distract the person and they could sneak out of their room onto the stairs and out of the house to their grandparents. Sure, I’d probably be chopped to pieces by then, but that wasn’t my main concern.

Well, Zach arrived with our friend Brandon and a tennis racket just in time for Alicia to text me and tell me that it had been her dad downstairs in the barn. I just threw my hands up and thanked Jesus because I really didn’t want to be chopped into little pieces, or have to shank anyone! Zach left, giving me a kiss and telling me to put the knife away before I hurt myself. Alicia laughed at me, but I think she appreciates the fact that I would have faced off with a serial killer to protect her children.

When did I become that kind of person? I always thought my parents were brave. I’ve heard stories and seen my parents do crazy things in order to protect themselves, each other, and me, but I didn’t really know I had it in me. I have had prowlers in my backyard as of late (probably why I’m so jumpy) and I feel a fierce urge to protect my mother now that my daddy’s gone. I have no problem going outside with a baseball bat. Next time that happens, I’ll quote one of the speakers from chapel. “I’ll wear you out in the name of Jesus and speak in tongues the whole time!”

I’ve never thought of myself as brave. I’ve always wanted to be brave and courageous. That’s probably why my childhood & adult heroes have always been Robin Hood, Severus Snape, and Daddy. It’s not easy to stay calm in a scary situation, but I did it. I just kept thinking of the kids, and that their safety mattered more than mine. That’s why I went outside as soon as I saw Zach step out of his car. His safety meant more to me than mine, too. I’ve always said that I would hope that I would be able to put someone else before myself if the situation ever arose. Have I finally reached the point where I can say with certainty that I would? Am I brave now?

It’d be easier if I had a bow and some arrows, a magic wand, or was six feet tall and knew how to shoot a gun with extreme accuracy. But hey, we work with what we’ve got!

Alison