Are you an Ostrich?

Are you sleeping your way through life? Give it a moment and think about it. Really think about it. Some days may be better than others but we fall into our daily routine and don't think twice about it. We forget to look outside of our zone. We don't take notice because we are busy and distracted or just don't want to get involved.

The last one is often the most overlooked yet can be the most important one of all.  I can think of many occasions throughout my life when I just turned the other cheek and kept on going. Yet, I remember a few times when I did not look away and I stepped in and took notice.

It was about a year ago in late Fall.  The air was crisp and winter was definitely coming.  I was driving home from work on Interstate 94 and it was already dusk.  I'd driven this route hundreds of times racing with the rest of the rat pack to get home for dinner, a sporting practice, homework and a million other chores to finish on my to-do list.  In other words, I'm generally pre-occupied.

This night was different.  As I drove, I noticed a young teen running alongside the freeway, against traffic, in the tall grass.  It seemed extremely odd as no one should be running alongside the freeway much less a child.  I passed him by and my mind was racing faster than my car.  What was he doing? Where is he going? He didn't have a coat on. It was cold. It was getting dark. He was in a hurry.  This is not right.  I quickly scanned the shoulders in front and rear to see if a car had stalled and he was making his way towards it. But there was none, only the cars zipping past.

I got off at the next exit which also happened to be my exit. But I did not head home. I could not make a U-turn because I would be on the wrong side of the freeway.  I needed to get back to him. I took a three mile detour around Battle Creek Park to get back on the freeway at the previous exit at McKnight and cut him off.  Off I raced not caring so much about the speed limit. It was getting darker.

As I merged onto the freeway, there he was, still running against traffic. Since I was in my unmarked squad, I put my siren in the window and turned on my wig-wags and pulled over onto the shoulder just in front of him. He didn't stop but kept running.  I rolled down the window and called him over to the car.  He refused to come very close.  So I showed him my badge and urged him to come to the window so I could talk to him.

He was leery.  He came closer but kept his distance. I asked where he was going in the cold and the dark and he said he needed to get to his church.  He looked about 12 years old.  "It's not safe for you to be running alongside the freeway and you need to get in the car." He was scared and reluctant.  For all he knew, I was some crazy person he is suppose to stay away from.  I showed him my badge and lights again and showed him the police radio. I was a good guy. I wanted to help him.

He asked if he could get in the backseat instead of the front.  I agreed and he got in the car.  I called my co-worker to let her know I had picked him up just in case there were any issues later.  He didn't want to call his mom and would not tell me his name. He needed to get to his church he said.  I didn't pressure him and said I could help him get there but his mom and dad must be worried.  He didn't respond.

I have a son the same age and the panic that was racing through my head thinking what if this was my child? He gave me the name of his church and I punched it into my GPS.   When we got to the church, it wasn't the right church. I punched it into the GPS again and waited for more options to pull up.  As we were driving around some more, we chatted a bit.  He was 12 years old, his parents just got divorced and he lived with his mom and younger sister. We finally found the right church.  It had been 45 minutes since I picked him up.  His mom must have been freaking out.  We were at least 7 miles from where I picked him up. I don't know if he would have ever made it on his own.

The child locks were activated on the back door so I had to go around and let him out.  When he stepped out of the car, he didn't have any shoes on and was in stocking feet which were now dirty and had hole or two in them. I was a bit stunned thinking of him running alongside the freeway in the grass in stocking feet in the dark and cold.  We made our way up the church steps and rang the bell.  It was on the side of the church were the priests lived.

An elderly man poked his head through the curtain on the window and let us in. He clearly knew the young boy and listened intently as I explained where I had found him.  He took him in and stated he would call his mother. I offered to wait and bring him home after I identified who I was.  They went into the office and the priest returned a short time later stating he would bring the young boy home himself.  I asked if I could speak with the young boy first.

He came out and I wrote my cell phone number on my card and gave it to him.  I told him he could call me anytime day or night if he ever needed help or didn't feel safe.  I would do my best to get him to a safe place. H e just nodded his head and took the card.  I left.  I felt good that he was safe but defeated at the same time.

I called the church the following day and left a message but never heard back.  I've nver heard from the young boy either.

I still think about him when I pass that section of the freeway.  I wonder if he is OK. I wonder if he was able to resolve his issues with his mom. I wonder if he ran away again.  I wonder about a lot of things with regard to him. The unknown is sometimes worse than the known.

What would have happened to him if I hadn't circled back around and picked him up?  Would he be another missing child or would he have made it to the church? It's an answer I will never know and I'm glad because I did get him somewhere safe.

I stepped in.  I took notice when it counted. Did I take notice because I am a mom?  Because I am a law enforcement agent?  Because I am human?  Because it was the right thing to do? It was probably a combination of them all.  I don't know.

So why do we as a society constantly put our heads in the sand, like an ostrich, and pretend if we don't see it, it doesn't exist?  It's easier.  It doesn't complicate our life.  We don't want to be nosey. It's not our business.

Well, it is our business. When it doesn't feel right, it generally isn't right. Trust your instincts. Pull your head out of the sand. Get involved and make a difference.  You'd want the same for you and your loved ones.  Wake up. Observe your environment. Be aware of your surroundings.  You are not immune. You may not always be the lucky one. It may just happen to YOU and not someone else.

Life is passing you by but if you hurry, you can catch up.