Well, my adhd brain is overactive af rn so i will tell ya’ll a short story from my childhood.
When I was about 8?? Or so, i’d go out with my dad and Ruby a lot and we’d explore places and the neighborhood and it was really fun. One day, we went to a piece of land that was pretty closed off from the neighborhood with tall trees. It had a beautiful little lake on the unowned land and it was just serene and peaceful.
My dad, Ruby, and I were all chilling there for a moment before our dad turned to us and was like “Let’s play bear. I’ll be the bear and you kids have to try and get away.”
It was such a great time, I remember screaming like crazy with Ruby and we both tried to climb a tree to get away from him and he was doing his best to make dad bear noises.🐻
It was all going well, until I suddenly heard a voice near the clearing. And when I looked up an elderly man was standing there, bathed in the sunlight. His hair was white and his beard long and then I noticed… his shotgun.
I felt my stomach drop. But the words he said next always took me by surprise because he was actually a genuinely concerned neighbor. He said, “Kids- is that man bothering you?” 🧔🏼♂️
I don’t remember speaking because it was Ruby’s voice that came next. She was very calm and said, “No- sir! That’s our dad!”
And the man seemed to understand we were playing but I imagine our screams must’ve horrified him. He left very peacefully and we found out he lived next to this unoccupied woods.
It was terrifying. But I actually always feel grateful to that man. He not only cared about our safety but he was willing to step in for children who weren’t his. He never showed any hostility besides the lowered gun in his hands. I just am so grateful to people who stand up for others. Especially children.
