... SOMETHING COULD HAVE HAPPENED

For as long as I can remember since The 6ft Toddler was old enough to speak, I've always told him to be alert. When he was VERY little, he wondered what a lert looked like.


Hell. Yes, it is sheer hell to be the sole parent of The 6ft Toddler who now, as an adult, comes and goes as he pleases. I can no longer insist that he has an evening at home and, apparently, he is now responsible for his own safety. Bah and humbug!

But, perhaps my insistence on him paying attention, listening and looking on the periphery and being in touch with the "feel" of any form of situation, may just have paid off last night. The 6ft toddler was wending his way along the High Street. When he arrived home he described his route as being almost Mediterranean ... the weather has been good, it's dry and Spring is almost upon us. He encountered families out strolling and the atmosphere was gentle. Until it became bad.

Son sensed that all was not right. He'd noticed a couple of guys - one on foot and the other on a bicycle - weaving their way along the pavement and now they were parallel to him. The guy on the bicyle was somehow trying to corrall him. My son felt unsafe - he could see a guy to the left of him and heard him talk into his 'phone. He was saying "Armani, How about this one?" Son maintained his usual walking pace and just as he began to feel that everything was stinking of fish he ducked into a light, bright, busy corner shop and the something that could have happened didn't happen.