"Being So Scared I Froze Up Completely” -- Next Time Yell "Dad"

During this time, when I was probably about 11, my sister and I had a traumatic experience for us. Nancy was about 7 or 8. Mom had gone into a store to get something and we were in a large parking lot, sitting in the back seat of our car waiting for her, when a man we didn’t know came up to our car. He wanted us to roll down our window. We knew that was not a good idea. 

NEVER TALK TO STRANGERS OR 

DO WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO DO!

          Then he exposed himself to us. With my heart racing, --Nancy said she “was so scared I froze up completely,” I grabbed Nancy’s hand, opened the opposite car door from where the man was standing. Holding Nancy’s hand, we both ran as fast as we could toward the store.   

Nancy remembers me yelling “Mom!” at the top of my voice. I don’t remember yelling, just running and holding on to her. I’m not sure what happened after that, but I’m pretty sure the man ran away too. And mom told us next time to yell “Dad” cuz that would scare someone away faster than just “Mom.” Again, we were protected by the Father we did not yet know. 

          Here’s a picture about that time—probably a small birthday party. Nancy is in the front middle smiling and I’m right behind her in the striped dress. Connie, Wray, and Valerie are in the back row with me. Linda and Janie are in front with Nancy. Amazing how childhood friends' names stick.