You
Just Never Know! |
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I was
walking down a dimly lit street late one
evening when I heard muffled screams coming
from behind a clump of bushes. Alarmed, I
slowed down to listen, and panicked when I
realized that what I was hearing were the
unmistakable sounds of a struggle: heavy
grunting, frantic scuffling, and tearing of
fabric. Only yards from where I stood, a woman
was being attacked. Should I get involved? I
was frightened for my own safety, and cursed
myself for having suddenly decided to take a
new route home that night. What if I became
another statistic? Shouldn't I just run to the
nearest phone and call the police?
Although it seemed an eternity, the
deliberations in my head had taken only
seconds, but already the girl's cries were
growing weaker. I knew I had to act fast. How
could I walk away from this? No, I finally
resolved, I could not turn my back on the fate
of this unknown woman, even if it meant
risking my own life.
I am not a brave man, nor am I athletic. I
don't know where I found the moral courage and
physical strength, but once I had finally
resolved to help the girl, I became strangely
transformed. I ran behind the bushes and
pulled the assailant off the woman. Grappling,
we fell to the ground, where we wrestled for a
few minutes until the attacker jumped up and
escaped.
Panting hard, I scrambled upright and
approached the girl, who was crouched behind a
tree, sobbing. In the darkness, I could barely
see her outline, but I could certainly sense
her trembling shock. Not wanting to frighten
her further, I at first spoke to her from a
distance.
"It's OK," I said soothingly. "The man ran
away. You're safe now."
There was a long pause................. and
then I heard the words, uttered in wonder, in
amazement.
"Daddy, is that you?"
And then, from behind the tree, stepped my
youngest daughter, Katherine.
You just never know........
Author
Known By God
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