monsters are REAL!

I admit it, I like to frighten my children, especially the little ones who still literally shake in their Nikes. I must inform you all, since so many of us seem to forget, especially in small towns and small-town atmospheres like Duluth, monsters still exist.

I was reminded of this today. I was in the line at the grocery store and Zane and Nora made a break for the St. Jude's donation contraption, the one where you can watch your coins slide, flip, or spiral into the donation pile. I called them back and gave them each a dime to donate. They took off again.

As I was unloading the haul, I was half-assed watching them. Again, they are mostly good kids who are respectful of adults, so I wasn't surprised to see them both talking with one of the hairdressers who came out of Cost Cutters to see what they were up to.

But then I got to thinking. What if it weren't so innocent? I have lived in this small-town atmosphere for too long, I think, because I didn't have to have my eyes on my children at all time. I have put too much faith in people being good. My obsession with Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, Charles Manson and others of their likes should have taught me that.

But just acknowledging that evil people exist out in the world is not enough. It has to be BRANDED into the backs of my eyelids, so I see it every time I blink. I have to be paranoid. After all, it's my job to keep these little sheisters safe until they can manage on their own.

Then I start to wonder if the older kids have too little fear of strangers. They are scared of the little old lady who tries to talk to them when they are at the park, maybe because she is old, or maybe because it was a foggy day when she spoke to them.

But not all monsters come out at night. Not all monsters are scary looking. Some are just regular looking people who may seem nice enough at first. They may be charming, suave, and have a pocketful of candy to offer. But they will be none of those things as they slide their manacles around my babies' arms and try to drag them into the back of their rusted out panel van. BEWARE!