A random date night with my boyfriend began with arguing over whether we were going to make to a movie on time or if we should just settle for getting frozen yogurt at our local Menchies in Boardman, Ohio. We pulled onto the wet pavement of the parking lot and noticed a small car parked in the middle of the lot markings while a Chevy Cruze was angled towards the other.
My boyfriend and I hopped out of the truck to see if assistance was needed. Josh looked at both cars and started hooking up the jumper cables to each battery. After checking if we had one of the Menchies employees, the operator of the car, we had them press on the gas pedal to help kick start the car. With no avail, all four of us decided that it would be better if we hooked up our truck to the broken down car since ours had more power and it would enable the employee to go back to work and clean up for the night.
During this process, I noticed a little girl, about three feet tall, body build of a toothpick leaning out the door of the shop asking if it was okay for her to come out. I knew this night was going to change swiftly as she sprinted to her father’s side. She shyly asked what we were doing. I slowly explained the process to her without mixing the conversation with big words. There is one thing that was very wrong with this situation.
First, the father didn’t take control of the situation
Like most fathers who take their daughters shopping, they are always watching where their kids are, who they are talking to, and what they are doing. At least they should be. Their eyes should be on the back of their head watching and listening to every sound and move they make. This father was a little too occupied with the status his car to realize that his daughter was now sitting on my lap talking to me about her sister and the dolls that her dad bought for both of them. I was not permitted to leave her side. If I did she would utter, “no don’t leave me. I need you. I need you.”
Offense wouldn’t have been taken if he had not allowed her to follow me into my boyfriends truck while we were jumping his car. For the safety of his child, I would have rather had her with him. We are complete strangers to them. As this continued, you may wonder why I haven’t been using names. That’s because names weren’t exchanged in the encounter whatsoever. To them, we were A and B, to us the father and daughter were Y and Z.
While wanting to do the right thing, we stayed with them and kept them company as the battery clicked and I was heavily involved in La La Loopsy fashion speak. After many failed attempts to start the car, it was pushed to a parking spot as I moved the truck back to it’s original spot. We walked into the yogurt shop after and hour, paid for our bowls, and walked out to the car. The words of that little girl have echoed in my head since that very night. If it wasn’t for us, that car may not have gotten pushed to the side, even worse, someone could have easily taken that little girl without her father noticing. I am urging parents and young adults with siblings, if this ever happens to you, call someone to take them somewhere else or keep a close and watchful eye over them. Anything can happen. I can’t help but think my boyfriend and I were sent there for that reason. I guess I'll never know.
