My little brother, Clint, and I stood outside of the lady's restroom in a local department store. I had just recently turned ten years old and Clint hadn't quite turned six yet. He had been asking me to take him the bathroom for sometime. Reluctantly, I hurried through the store to bring him to his destination.
It was no small problem when we got there and found that the men's room had been closed for repairs. Both men and women had formed a line to use the only single stall bathroom that was available. Minutes ticked by and the guilt I felt for not bringing him earlier really began to bother me.
The line finally dwindled and soon there was only Clint, myself, and one man that was ahead of us. As the stranger began to walk in, he suddenly turned and spoke to Clint, "Why don't you come on in with me young fella? That way, you won't have to go in with a girl." His smile seemed to show innocent compassion. Clint and I smiled back. That's awfully nice of him, I thought.
All of a sudden something seemed to grab my attention. “DON’T LET CLINT GO WITH THAT MAN!” Involuntarily, I put my hand on Clint's shoulder and drew him back. "No thanks. He'll just wait for me." I didn't even smile when I answered the man. My brother obviously had felt the same command that I had. His small frame seemed to relax when I gave the answer.
Although the man repeated the question several more times and even tried to pressure Clint into going with him, nothing could change the finality of the command that we had received.
At the time, I thought very little of what the consequences might have been if we had chosen to ignore the command. Ignoring the command wasn't an option. I had been trained from a very young age to obey, without question, those that I love and respect. It was a part of my nature.
The silent voice that spoke to me in the department store would, in the not so distant future, speak again. |
