Stranger Danger

Parents tend to coach younger children about the dangers of strangers, and you worry about your daughters, especially when they become beauties, but how often do parents worry that their teenage boys will be a target?

On Wednesday, Josiah went to an afternoon teaching appointment with the missionaries. I dropped him off at the local grocery store where the missionaries were waiting for him. I watched them walk off to a nearby neighborhood and went on my way. I was to be back to pick him up at 4:00 p.m.

At 3:55 p.m, I was on my way. Josiah called to see how near I was. I told him that I'd be there in 5 to 7 minutes. Brother Lowe was going to drop him off, and since I would be arriving soon, he left Josiah in front of the grocery store.

In the next few minutes while Josiah was waiting for me to come, a young man who was about middle to late twenties left his buddy near the doors of the store and approached Josiah and said, "Hey, give me a hug!"

Josiah was startled and responded, "No, thanks." Then he turned a little and walked a few steps further away. The man, who had a lighted cigarette in his hand, came around to face him again and again demanded, "C'mon, give me a hug, I won't burn you or anything!" Josiah said, "No!" more firmly this time and again stepped away.

Once more the man followed, and he told Josiah, "C'mon, two guys can give each other a hug and not be gay! Give me a hug!"

Josiah stepped back again and in a quiet but determined voice told him, "Get away from me!"

The man then asked, "What's the matter, are you Mormon or something?" (It was an easy guess, since Josiah was dressed like a missionary and was carrying his scriptures.)

Josiah responded, "As a matter of fact, I am."

The man, cigarette still in hand, said, "Great! So am I! Give me a hug!" He stepped closer.

Josiah really felt at this point that the man had malicious intent, and this time had to actually push the man away from him since he got so close. The man looked over Josiah's shoulder at a group of teen boys that were now fairly close behind Josiah. Josiah had been gradually moving closer to them as he kept trying to retreat from the man's advances.

The man then said, "I just want to tell you one thing."

Josiah replied, "What?"

The man said, "There is no God!" and turned and went back to his smoking buddy near the doors of the store.

I pulled into the parking lot right after that.

Had it not been for those teenage boys being there, the man probably would have continued to accost Josiah. We have no way of knowing what the man's intent was, but everyone I've spoken to about this incident thought the man was trying to harm Josiah in some way.

Josiah is 16. He is slight of build and looks younger than he is. The man who approached him was also slight of build, but he had a buddy not far away.

We should have reported it to the police immediately, but we didn't actually go in to make the report until the next day, after realizing that what happened probably had very sinister implications. The policeman asked Josiah if he would recognize the man again. Josiah told him that he definitely would. The officer then told Josiah that if he ever saw the man again, to call 911. Evidently the policeman also thought the incident had potentially serious implications.

Parents, warn your children, no matter how old they are. Teach them to YELL, "LEAVE ME ALONE!" if anyone approaches them in a way that makes them uncomfortable. Josiah never yelled or did anything that would have drawn attention to his situation. I have no doubt that he was protected by the Lord, and that those teenaged boys who just "happened" to be there weren't really there by chance.

If the creep had grabbed Josiah, I might have arrived in time to see Josiah struggling with him, but possibly not. It happened in so little time.

I am so grateful that my son is safe, but I will never again be so careless about my son being alone in a public place in broad daylight.