A Half Hour a Day

So there’s this little boy who lives down the lane.  (Okay, it’s down the street, but doesn’t “lane” sound better?)

I started to notice him last summer….walking, or riding on his bike erratically, always alone.  Being a teacher, and a Nosy to boot, I started to pay closer attention.  This child looked extremely young, definitely too young to be alone…hmmm.

So I watched.  I would see him at all hours of the day, well into the evening, out and about, never with anyone. 

My dear neighbor started to notice him too.  Hmmm.  How old is this child? 

So we started asking our kids, “Do you know this little boy?” 

Turns out, he was in my neighbor’s son’s class—Kindergarten class.  Hmmm.

So I start not only paying attention, but watching out for him.  “Get out of the middle of the road!  Ride on the side!  Where’s your helmet?  Shouldn’t you be home since it’s getting dark outside?” as he would zoom past my house, head down.

One day he comes so close to getting hit by a car in front of my house, I decide I can’t stand by and just watch this unsupervised child anymore.  There are benefits to being a teacher and knowing every support staff member in the district—so I make a call, explain the situation, and ask for advice.  Apparently there’s already been concerns.  I’m told to place the call. 

Done.  And I’m practically laughed off the phone.  It seems as though this level of unsupervision is not a cause for CPS to investigate…No lie, I am told, “Now if he got HIT by a car in front of your house, that would be different.”   I swear to God, if I could’ve reached through the phone to throttle the woman on the other end, I would’ve done it.  “Let me get this straight…you can only help the child once the child is dead?  Are you for real?”  Big sigh, and I’m put on with a supervisor who instructs me to approach the parents and discuss the situation since, “Maybe they aren’t even aware that he’s out and about.”  WHAT????!!!!!!!!  “Well, isn’t that a problem right there??!!!  Thanks for your lack of help.”  And I hung up the phone.

(Upon re-reading this post, I will insert here that I know CPS is overwhelmed, and there are children out there in worse circumstances.  However, I think they’re completely missing the boat with this kid.)

So, anyway…being way too protective of my own family to approach the parents personally (I’ve heard Dad is beastly) I’ve opted to pray, and watch, and protect when I can.  “Get out of the road…stay on the side…play in the dirt in my yard, not in the dirt on the side of the road.”  And suddenly, he’s coming around more. 

He’s been hanging around between my house and my neighbor’s house, playing with our kids.  He’s a sweet little thing, and looks even smaller than his six years.  Never once has anyone come around looking to see where he is. 

So last night I say, “If I bought you a helmet, would you wear it?”

A shy nod.

“Do you PROMISE??  I worry about you.”

A shy nod.

And my dear neighbor jumps in and says, “Wait!  I have one right here!” and pops into the shed to grab the spare that she had.

I help him put it on.  We make the fit just right.  And he rides off toward home around 8:00pm.

We stare after him, then shaking our heads say, “Well, I’ll bet that’s the last time we ever see that helmet,” but feel at least we tried.

This afternoon, he zooms by my house afterschool—–proudly wearing his new helmet.

I think it will take a village to raise this child.  I hope we’re up to the task.