Sunday, June 22, 2008

Sunday Special: Running Away Redux, A Woman's Perspective

Guest Contributor, Leslie Kolbrener
[the following is excerpted from a longer piece; and no, this is not a different perspective on an old story; he ran away again--WDK]

Shmuel ran out of the house, dressed, and disappeared. Night was approaching and there were a lot of cars in the streets and everybody I could find standing or sitting still seemed just to have arrived in that position and so couldn't have had the leisure to sight a little boy with Down Syndrome running away from home. Freidy started crying after a time, our searches all coming up empty. I told her to have faith and keep on looking. She did and she found him, she out of all of us, enlisted friends and all the other children. He had crossed the busy street in front of our house--unless an angel had carried him across. Perfectly natural, I keep telling myself to want to leave the house alone, in the heat of the summer I feel it every night, the desire for it. He was newly created when he came home that night, one hand firmly in Freidy's, a stange new joy permeating his exuberant knowing little face, Freidy happy beyond expression, as if the hand she held were that of her newly wedded husband, instead of just the hand of her wayward younger brother.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

William I have to voice my concern. From what you have posted your son has let him out of his house 2 times now and it sounds like there are dangers close to home i.e busy streets etc. I have friends with down syndrome children and they have locks on their home which their children can not open. It sounds like you daughter expresses the stress you all feel and I understand as my son lives with a very disabled sister who is also terminally ill. I'd say your lucky that no harm has come to your son. I hope you put things in place to keep your son safe. All the best. Brad.