Thursday, January 27, 2011

My Shield

"Just take it!" I begged. "It will make you feel better."

She turned her head with a scowl. Slightly feverish lids still had the will power to clamp down and resist. 

"I want dis," she stated. A different bottle was clenched tightly in her fist and she shoved it towards me.

Probiotics. T'would seem I have created a  monster. Telling her that the probiotics would help her body, has suddenly turned on me, when the antibiotics are now refused. I sighed and quickly tried to turn on a different tactic that would not disallow either formula.  

BLAM, BLAM, BLAM, BLAM!!

I jumped and turned towards the front door. I could barely see a dark shadow hunched there. 


BLAM, BLAM, BLAM, BLAM!!

Again, the insistent hammering came. I cautiously approached the front door, forgetting all about medicine battles. I flicked on the light on the porch and a man emerged from the darkness. 

"Let me in!" he hollered. 

His eyes were wide and had a wild glint to them. A thousand TV detective shows flashed through my mind, as I hesitated and backed away a step. The door was my defense and protector for myself and my children.

"Let me IN!" he yelled again. "Please!"

He looked over his shoulder and squeezed himself towards the door even more. I took a step forward to see what he was shrinking from and saw a dog. Only then did I hear it's insistent barking and see it lunging back and forth in my front yard. 

Now I was torn again. One side of me wanted to save this poor man being attacked by a vicious animal, but another side of my brain whispered caution. Why was the dog barking? Had this young man been trying to break into someone's home? Had he been up to some mischief and the dog knew and was protecting his space? 

The young man again turned to me and flashed a panicked look.

"Please, let me in," he begged as he pulled on the company logo of his coat trying to make me understand that truly he was in trouble and needed help. 

Hesitant, but unwilling to allow more carnage than necessary, I cracked the door open. With panting breath, the poor soul edged into the protection of my home. He explained that he had just been leaving a customer's house a few doors down, when he heard barking. Turning, he had seen a large black shape racing towards him in the dark of night. Not usually one to be afraid of dogs, this time was different. This dog was vicious in its menace and was aimed straight at him. Without another thought, he ran. Mine was the first house he came to. His eyes still focused on the big, black dog that barked and spun mere meters from us.  

He looked at me and said, "I'm sorry I scared you, but I was in a panic."

I nodded and watched the dog snarl and dance. "I would be afraid too", I thought.

"My name's Nathan," he stated. 

I could still see him trembling through his thick overcoat. A shape in the distance drew our attention though. A man was moving up the street towards us, calling as he came. The dog paused to look at the approaching man, but was not yet willing to release his quarry. 

"I have a dog at home," he stated,  "but it's not vicious like that! It would not chase anyone like that."

The other man reached the dog and talked quietly to it, trying to calm it down. 

"Sorry about that, " he yelled towards us. "Hope he didn't scare you."

The dog had scared Nathan, and me through association plenty, but the tension was diffused. The dog jumped and twisted, but finally allowed itself to be leashed by its owner. Only then did Nathan visibly relax some. We watched the dog get led away, then Nathan turned and apologized once more. 

"I am headed straight to my car and not getting out," he declared. 

With that, he was gone. I closed the front door and turned back to the room. My daughter still waited for her medicine where I had left her. Neither she, nor her sister seemed fazed at all by the explosive outbreak that had rocked the house. I went back to my nurse's duties, but my mind dwelt on the incident long after the house was silent for the night. I felt my singleness and vulnerability close around me.  Life was heavy in my hands. A prayer went out to my guardian angels, as I drifted off to sleep with the night wrapped close around me for a shield.



16 comments:

  1. dang k...feeling your singleness i hear that...scary stuff...stay safe...and sleep tight tucked in there...

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  2. Thanks Brian. A little excitement last night. Not to my liking, as it served to make me feel pretty vulnerable. I want to trust in others and mostly do, but there are some out there bent to do harm. I am responsible for lives other than my own and that was what prevented me from immediately letting this stranger in danger into my home. A shame that life has to have its dark side.

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  3. WOW, when I first started reading this I thought it was perhaps a fiction story, but then realized, "No...this REALLY happened to Katherine!"

    Well, I would have been scared and hesitant to let him in too. I mean you never know nowadays the stuff that people will pull.

    Whew...glad everything was okay. Love the way you wrote this, I felt like I was there!

    Hope you had a super day, dear lady!

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  4. I wanted to write it in the style of a fiction piece Ron. I am glad it came off like that in the beginning. It is easy to tell, when you know me, that this is a true piece though. I had a lovely response to you after your last comment, but it disappeared when I hit post! So I will just have to offer a bigger thank you for always stopping by and being so kind. Big hugs to you Ron!

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  5. It's a lot harder to trust when you have a young life dependent on you. I hear you on the single and vulnerable thing, though I haven't been in many years.

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  6. @Alice: Yes, in days gone by I probably wouldn't have thought twice (well maybe once for a second), but in that moment I worried more about my children's safety than my own.

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  7. Scary! I'm glad the man was okay. Dogs acting that aggressively are very frightening!

    And I hope the probiotic/antibiotic situation was nicely resolved, Katherine! :)

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  8. @Talon: I believe he was frightened pretty good, but none the worse for wear other than that. Not sure why the dog decided to get after him so fiercely. My kids would be terrified of dogs forever after if they were to come across a dog so aggressive towards them.

    and yes, she is a good little soldier when it comes to medicine. She is the first to remind me that it is time for her medicine, to the point of nagging almost! She is keen on both, just in her own way and time. Lord help me with that one! :)

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  9. That was fascinating. Quite an experience. You did the right thing though. Sometimes our own fears and suspicions keep us from helping others, but you set them aside to show kindness.

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  10. that's intense.. I think most people would've hesitated to something that scary.

    glad everything worked out
    -Sy

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  11. what a story! glad he wasn't dangerous but seriously in trouble...and i loved the night wrapped close around you for a shield..beautiful thought

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  12. @David: It certainly was a blip in my night that gave me pause David. As nervous as I was of him, his fears were worse and I had to offer what I could to the poor soul.

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  13. @SY: It was intense Sy, but thankfully nothing came of it. The dog was taken home, the stranger was safe and we were able to drift off to sleep in our own beds that evening.

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  14. @Claudia: Thanks Claudia. It really gave me cause to stop and ponder the what ifs of life.

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  15. oh wow.... this was intense! and well written... there are so many decisions to be made as a mother, hey? a thousand, every day... and you showed your daughters compassion and bravery. a beautiful act. thank you for this.

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  16. @Emily: Thank you Emily. I wasn't sure if this would fall under the imperfect prose category. Thought I would offer it and see and am so glad you liked it. And yes, so many decisions and responsibilities to fulfill. A full-time job! Thanks for hosting!

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