Stranger danger

I lived in New Jersey from age 4ish to 7ish. My family moved to Colorado when I was in 2nd grade. It was the 70’s and not much was worth writing home about.

It’s not an obsession but a curiosity on my part. I’ve always been fascinated by missing people, kidnapping stories, runaway…. People who disappear only to be found years later. “I know my first name is Stephen”. Shaun Hornbeck, Elizabeth Smart. And the sadder cases like Etan Patz, Adam Walsh, Johnny Gosch…. It’s all crazy. I remember a few crazy things in my life and let me share the brief details as I remember them…

I was walking home from god knows where. I was 7ish and couldn’t have been more than a few blocks from home. Walking home from school probably cause I didn’t have after school activities or anything. I remember business on the block but I don’t now remember any “business” as I know them now. (Weird). I’d describe it today as walking in the sidewalk, left side facing on coming traffic.

As I walk a car stops. Is pointed going the opposite way from where I needed to go. A man, blond I think, rolls down the window and asks me….”where are you going? Do you need a ride?”

“No sir”, I said, pointing to the next house. “I’m home.” Not even understanding what I had said, I just started down that walkway and hoped the door was open.

It was. I stepped inside and closed the door behind me. Not even thinking where or why I was here. I just stood there. Not even a minute before I turned back outside and ran.

I had no idea if anyone was home or heard me. Or what that guy in the black car wanted. All I knew was strange guy stopped. I knew that was probably not good. So I ran

Pic unrelated.