Have you ever wondered what you would do if you were ever faced with a situation that called for you to stand between a complete stranger and possible harm?  

From time to time, over the past few years, after reading such accounts in newspapers and seeing reports on television, I have wondered what I would do if faced with such a choice now.

Of course, back when I was young and stupid, I knew the answer, after all going to the aid of those injured or dying was my job description for awhile when I was in the military but that was a long time ago. As I grew older, I wondered what my response would be now....did I have any "Man" left in me?

Well a few weeks ago I rediscovered an old truth: Be careful the questions you ask yourself because sometimes God gives you the opportunity to find the answers.

The episode began a few weeks ago, just prior to Mel's trip to Washington to be with her son. She and her Sister, Evelyn had gone to town to do some running around and girly type bonding and I was left alone (by my own choice cause I knew better than to go off with those two).

They had only been gone a few minutes when I heard the dogs barking and raising cane outside. I got up from my desk where I had been happily reading a few blogs and I went to the front door and opened it to yell at the dogs.

You can imagine my surprise when I found an old woman standing on my porch.  She looked close to 90 years old, her long white hair was disheveled and dirty, her clothes looked as though she had crawled through the mud.  The poor thing was standing there looking at me with big, frightened eyes, her hands clasped together in front of her and shaking like a leaf.

"Please, sir," Her voice was shaking with fear, "could you please let me inside and call the police for me?"

I was about to ask her what the problem was when I noticed a truck headed down the road toward the house. She saw it at the same time and let out a scream: "OH GOD, PLEASE DON'T LET THEM GET ME!"

I didn't even have time to think, I just took her arm and pulled her into the house and shut my door.  Once the door was shut she seemed to relax just a little bit and I began to question her.  It took awhile to get her story out because she was still not very coherent, but I finally learned all the sorry, sad, facts.

She lived about a quarter of a mile down the road from us, with her granddaughter and her husband in a small, dirty little trailer. The granddaughter had custodial custody of the old woman and her bank account and Social Security Check.  They gave her a place to sleep and food to eat and in return they had her money.

Well about a week prior to her showing up on my door step she had been raped by a drunk friend of her Granddaughter's husband. She pleaded with the granddaughter to call the cops and take her to the hospital because during the assault she had sustained internal injuries.  The granddaughter refused. She was afraid that the authorities would remove the old woman from their care and thus they would lose control of her money and the monthly check.

She said they had a big iron gate across their driveway which they kept locked unless they needed to use it. They also had net wire fencing surrounding the property which was too high for her to climb over. She was being held a virtual prisoner.

I asked her how she managed to get away and she told me that on that day she happened to be looking out the window and she saw the couple's dog slip under the fence via a hole he had dug under the wire. She said that when she saw that, she knew she had to try to use it.  Her granddaughter was asleep because she worked nights and the husband was off hunting/drinking with his buddies, so she made a break for it. She crawled under the fence then walked to my house across two large fields and under two barbed wire fences that bordered the land.

As I listened to the lady's story, which came out in fits and starts and not nearly as coherent as the writing of it now, I had to judge how much was true and how much was the product of a mind ravaged by age and infirmity. After all, no one wants to believe that there are animals out there who would actually rape an old woman.

The deciding factor for me was the fear I saw in her eyes as she told her story. I have seen fear in many men's eyes; fear of death, fear of further injury, fear of a trapped animal and that is the level I saw in her that day and I knew that was something that could not be faked...not that level.

So I made her comfortable, assured her that I would let nothing happen to her and I called the Sheriff's department. That was when I got a shock.

The dispatcher told me that they only had one deputy working that day and he was on the other side of the county and could not be there anytime soon.

"So what am I supposed to do if in the meantime her 'family' comes looking for her?" I asked.

"Oh well if they have guardianship of her, then you can not legally keep them from taking her."

That was the exact moment when I lost my temper and went Country on her.

"Well I tell you what, ma'am, if anyone but the authorities show up to get this lady then the only other call I will  be making is for an ambulance to come pick up the bodies. You might relay that message to your over worked deputy."

She quickly assured me that she would get someone out to help the woman and I hung up the phone. I assured the old woman that everything would be okay and I quietly went into the bedroom and loaded my rifle...just in case.

About a half hour later a car pulls up in my driveway. It is a case-worker for Health and Human Services. She was a young girl about twenty-five or so and I let her inside and she took the woman's statement.  I told her that the lady is asking to go to the hospital to be checked out, and I asked her if she can take her. I have been unable to drive since my stroke.

"Oh no," she said, " I am not allowed to transport anyone in my car."

"WHAT?" I yelled at her and she jumped a foot. "I can't drive or she would already be there, the so-called deputy can't be bothered and YOU can't give an old woman a ride to the doctor?  Well that just does it!"

Luckily, about then, Mel and her sister pulled into the driveway. I quickly walked out to them and told Mel what was going on. My sweetie didn't even pause.

"Let's put her in the truck and Evelyn and I will get her to the hospital."

I nodded and then walked back in the house and told the case worker what we were going to do. "And YOU will follow them and YOU will stay with her.....won't you."

"Oh yes," she assured me. "I will stay with her until the law arrives." With that she hurried out to her car, glad I'm sure to be away from the crazy old man.

I told the old woman what we were going to do and she broke down crying and hugged my neck. "I had heard that you were good people who would help anyone and I am so glad I made it here....thank you."

So off they all went and I was left once again in peace and quiet. We never heard from the Sheriff's department on how it all came out, but about a week later we read the story in the Newspaper. The deputy had indeed shown up at the hospital, took the woman's statement and then drove to the home. Evidence was collected from her bedroom and an arrest was made. The 'man' admitted to the rape and the old woman is now safe and living with a daughter in Arkansas. A happy ending.

So now I know. I know that when something like this happens I still have enough Man left in me to take care of someone who can't take care of themselves. At my age that is a good thing to know.