Stranger Danger

 As soon as our children are old enough to understand, we teach them not to talk to strangers. Be wary of strangers bearing gifts, travel in packs, there is safety in numbers and for heaven's sake don't ever accept a ride from a stranger! And yet, children are still abducted at an alarming rate across the globe, never to be seen again. My heart aches for all those parents who did everything right, (and even the one's that didn't) and still lost their precious children to a predator.

 We can teach our children all the right things and they can still be abducted right from under our noses. These people are professionals at what they do...targeting malls, airports and theme parks where a parent may be distracted, making their vulnerable children easy prey.

"Always keep your wits about you to whiff the vile stench of a predator"

My police officer dad;-) Author in Source Title

I remember being in Disney World with my six-year-old daughter and keeping her tethered so close to me you would have thought we were conjoined twins! Such was the hyper- vigilance I felt as the throngs of faces swarmed all around us. All it takes is a second and poof! Gone forever.

 For most women, when it comes to the safety of our children we have the heightened awareness of a mama grizzly protecting her cubs! But when it comes to our own safety we can often let our guard down, especially in situations involving alcohol. It dulls the senses we need to protect ourselves from harm... to whiff the vile stench of a predator.

 In the last couple of months there have been several young women in the Boston area abducted from local clubs after a night of drinking. Somehow these gals are lured away from any friends they may be with and disappear into the night with a stranger. One was miraculously recovered unharmed as local police were able to locate her via her cell phone signal. Another young mother was not so fortunate. She was found dead in the trunk of the abductor's car.

 Several years ago I was out at a nightclub with a girlfriend when were approached by these two average looking guys. They seemed nice enough at first, but it soon became clear they were looking for a pick up. We very politely declined and asked them to please stop sending us drinks as they were wasting their time and money on us. We hadn't seen each other in a long time and requested our privacy so we could be alone to catch up. These guys didn't do subtle, and I was beginning to get a real creepy feeling about them, so eventually we got up and left the club.

 On the way home we stopped at another club where a friend of ours was tending the bar. We stayed long after closing to help him clean up. By the time we left it was very late and there was not another soul in sight. We got into my car and it wouldn't start. Unbeknownst to us, these two creeps had followed us and climbed under my car to cut my battery cables. They then lurked patiently in the shadows, waiting to pounce on their prey...we were sitting ducks.

 There is something very surreal about the moment you fear your life is about to end. It paralyzes you, much like an animal in the wild about to be consumed by a predator. Thankfully my girlfriend, all of five foot one, found the voice of her inner grizzly and ripped these two assholes a new one, leaving them mouths agape in stunned silence! It was at that point I managed to scream and get the attention of a drifter coming out of a late night biker bar down the street.

 In the end, we managed to scare these two jerks off and get the car started on the alternator to get us home. We survived the beast because we stuck together and fought back. Too many are not so lucky. So my best advice to all my sisters out there....THESE ASSHOLES ARE EVERYWHERE! So please, please, please...stick together in packs...there is safety in numbers...and NEVER, EVER, EVER leave a club alone with a stranger!!!

I'm reminded of a quote I heard from one of my favorite writers Deidré Wallace...

"You can't stick a rose in an asshole and call it a vase."

Deidre Wallace Author in Source Title

"Stay Alert...Stick Together...Stay Alive."

Cyndi Wilkins Author in Source Title