The Unsung Hero

September 16, 1980. Gordon was just 3 years old, and Laura barely 1, a toddler who lived in simple sundresses over her diapers. That day I discovered them playing in the front yard after having escaped through the garage, and brought them in with a swat for having opened the garage door. A little while later, when I was changing Laura's diaper, I was puzzled to find a very deep and dirty scrape on her leg.

When David got home, I heard the whole story. Gordon confided to his dad that Laura had crossed the street by herself and was playing by a car. Gordon knew, of course, that they were not to cross the street by themselves because they could get run over by a car. So he dashed over to her, knocked her down, and dragged her home. Since crossing the street was forbidden, he dragged her all the way around our very quiet cul-de-sac, which accounted for the scrape on her leg. Then when he got home, having saved Laura's life, he called for Mama (who didn't hear him). When Mama came out (finally) she told him "get in the house, you were a naughty boy," and spanked him. He was heartbroken. After hearing the whole story, so was I.

I guess no good deed goes unpunished.