Dancing with Danger

Summer 1978: My mom was asleep on the couch she always fell asleep on the couch especially on Saturday nights when my stepfather was tending bar. I was watching the late movie. Knowing my taste it was probably a campy horror movie from the fifties.

I was lost in the movie when my stepfather walked into the room. It was all I could do to keep from screaming the whole front of his shirt and face were covered in blood. My first thought was that their had been trouble at the wedding he was working. Every once in awhile a fight would break out or someone would get stabbed. My mother always worried that something would happen to him while working a wedding. As I stared in shock at his appearance I thought to myself my mom was right to worry.

I scrambled to wake up my mother. She was always a heavy sleeper but when I explained that something had happened to Jay (my step dad) she snapped out of her dream world in a flash.

She jumped from the couch and ran to him, she grabbed him by the arms and searched his torso for some type of wound. It was than he explained to us that nothing had happened at the wedding. He had fallen asleep at the wheel driving home and missed the last turn before our street running into a tree. My mother than noticed the hole in his lip he had bit it right through. The amount of blood was due to the blood thinners he took for his bad heart.

The first order of business was to take him to the hospital but someone needed to stay with the car and talk to the police. That of course became my job. Just as we left our house we saw a patrol car slowly making its way up our street with a searchlight. It was fairly obvious that they were looking for the person or persons involved in the accident. My mom explained to them that she was taking Jay to the hospital and that he would answer all their questions there. She dropped me off at the accident scene and went on her way.

My step dad's car was a brand new white Cadillac with red leather upholstery. Not any more. The car had run head on into an old oak tree. It was totaled. The oak tree was barely damaged. From the cars appearance my stepfather was lucky to walk away with as few injuries as he did. The police officers remained at the scene with me for a few moments and asked my for Jay's basic info. They called a tow truck and informed me that it would probably be a half hour before one made it to my location. I thanked them and they headed to the hospital to complete their report.

As for me, I sat on the hood of the car and waited for the tow truck to arrive. It was chilly and I was only wearing a t-shirt. I began walking around the car to stay warm. Of course I would jump at every branch creak or owl hoot. Wondering what danger might be lurking around the corner. As it turned out I did not have long to wait.

After about ten minutes a car pulled up and a man got out. I had never believed in a sixth sense before but my senses began buzzing the moment I laid eyes on him. The weird part was that he did not look like trouble. He was dressed in jeans and a long sleeve shirt, tennis shoes and he was clean-shaven. His eyes though were like looking into an abyss. Before he spoke a word I knew that if I were to go off with him someplace I would never return.
As he approached the car I kept moving keeping my distance from him. He asked me if I was OK and I explained that my stepfather had been the driver and that he was at the hospital. I told the police and the tow truck driver would be here any minute to make their report and to tow the car.

He told me that I looked awfully cold and asked if I wanted to wait in his car. I explained that I wasn't cold just nervous and worried about my step dad. Yet again he offered me a seat in his car and again I turned him down. By now I was thinking to myself where in the hell is the tow truck, he better not be on a coffee break or something.

As much as I tried to keep a distance between us he kept slowly closing it without being obvious. He began talking about how hungry he was and asked me if I wanted to go with him to breakfast after the tow truck came. No, I don't think so I'm not hungry and I am to worried about my step dad. He would not take no for an answer. He kept on trying to convince me to go with him and I kept walking away and praying for someone, anyone to drive by.

The more he hung around the more my senses told me that my very existence was in danger. I knew I did not have much longer before he made a move and I began planning my response. Just than and not a moment to soon the tow truck driver arrived. Not just any driver but someone who was probably 220 pounds all muscle. My lurker took one look at him and knew that he had no chance. He made one last halfhearted effort to convince me to leave with him and when I turned him down he left.

Not knowing if he was really gone or lurking around the corner I chatted up the driver and asked him if he could give me a ride home. It was not far but I was not about to walk it alone. However, my request proved unnecessary just as he finished hooking up the car my parents returned from the ER. I was never more thankful to see them in my life.

To this day I have wondered about that guy. In the 70's no one really talked about serial killers and other horrors. Knowing what I know now I am convinced that he was one and that I was very lucky to get away with my life.