Not that the others stories aren’t true.

A post by Mary

It’s 3 AM and as I lay in bed thinking,  I keep waiting for someone to start beating on my windows, screaming hysterically, begging to be let in because someone is trying to kill him. 

It’s just now beginning to hit me that I had experienced this same scenario

Last Night

I throw back my covers and rush towards the noise. Looking out the window, I see a young man sitting with his back to me, in a chair on my patio, rocking back and forth.  He is pleading for someone, anyone in the house to let him in because they are coming and they have guns. For a moment I thought it was my grandson and I know something terrible must’ve happened. As I try to decipher the situation, I realize it isn’t my grandson, but a total stranger. It momentarily occurs to me to not help him. But if they were coming with guns I have to do something… now. I run to the door and let him in where he collapses on the floor. Then I ran for my gun.  He move away from the windows so ‘they’ wouldn’t see him.  He sat in the hall and I stood at the other end of the hall pointing the gun at him.

I didn’t feel he was any danger to me, but the people outside might be.

Then I did what I should have done first…

I called 911

As I’m calling I tell the man that since we are strangers and I don’t know him, that he better not make a move towards me because I would have to shoot him. I find out all about him as I relay the information to the 911 operator, asking her to please not leave me. She tells me she won’t and the police are on the way. The young man sat whimpering and rocking. Though it seemed like an eternity, in only a few minutes there were spotlights in the backyard. The police had arrived and I tell my visitor to slowly move from between me and the door and lie face-down on the floor. (that’s what they do on TV). I keep my gun pointed at him as I unlock the door.

There are two of America’s finest and one says she’s got a gun; and in a very stern voice says put the gun down.

I lay it on the table. They cuff my visitor but they are very gentle with him. He is led away. A few moments later one of the policemen returns to explain to me that they know him from other occasions and that he has PTSD.

My heart goes out to him and I silently pray for him.

I haven’t decided yet but I think about visiting his home when he returns from the mental facility. I thank the policeman for being who and what he is.

Safe and Sound

I lock the door and go to bed.  As sleep escapes me, I pray…

Heavenly Father, who gives rest to His children, will You wash over me a peace that passes all understanding as I lay down to sleep tonight?  Be merciful, O Lord, and give sweet sleep to Your child.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

~

MDR