Protection

When you grow up in a place like I did survival of fittest was the name of the game. When I was 9, my grandfather called me over to him he said he had something to give me but that it had to be done in private. I was to meet him in his bedroom at six because that's where he had my gift hidden. I kept thinking of what it could be after all he was a veteran. It would be pretty cool to have one of his metals to hang up in my room.

The day seemed to drag I was counting the hours, minutes, and seconds, I was waiting for six o'clock. When the time finally came I didn't even give anyone enough time to ask where I was going. I put on my shoes and ran straight to my grandfather's room. I stood at his door and all of a sudden my body tensed. I hadn't even noticed that I had raised my arm to knock on the door. I stood there with my arm raised but I couldn't get my body to communicate with my brain. I wanted to move, I tried so hard to move but I couldn't will myself to do it. Finally, I took a deep breath and with every bit of strength I had in my body I willed myself to knock on the door. I was so nervous it's like I could hear the echo of the sound in my head. Finally, he answered "come in" and again my body went cold only this time it was easier to move. I walked in looked at my grandfather and asked, "What is it? What do you have to give me?" For a second he sat there quietly as if he were thinking of how to word the thought in his head. " When I was your age, I was trusted by my mother one day to go to the stoor and buy a carton of milk. On my way there a group of kids stopped me and told me to empty my pockets. I could taste the fear on my lips but I did as I was told in hopes that they wouldn't hurt me. Then I heard a voice come from behind me. "Give him his money back and go home, he ain't looking for trouble." The look of fear that suddenly came over there faces stopped me from turning around to see who had defended me. They did as they were told dropped the money on the floor and ran in the opposite direction. Then the voice who defended me came close to me and said: "get yourself one of these and they always go running." With that being said he tucked the blade back into its place and then put it back in his pocket. He smiled and waved and didn't even look back. That's when I decided I would never be caught again without protection, and after today neither will you." Hearing this story shocked, not the fact that it had happened but that there was ever a time when my grandfather had felt fear. He then reached into the drawer of his nightstand and pulled out his pocket knife. I recognized it right away it was one of the things he had received during his time in the military. It had his name engraved on it and the military stamp it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. "This knife right hear has saved my life and the life of the men who fought alongside me, and now it will protect you. It is a weapon so be sure you are wise in how and when you use it and make sure you are never caught without your protection. Now go and put it somewhere safe in the wrong hands your own weapon can be the worst enemy." With that said I grabbed it and tucked it away in my pocket.

A few weeks after that day my grandfather passed away, but his words always rang in my head. "Never get caught without your protection." Every day before I leave the safety of my home I repeat in my head "keys, wallet, phone, Protection" and whenever I feel the hairs on my neck stand up I take it as a sign from my grandfather. As a reflex and without even thinking my fingers will tense around the object in my pocket, ready to pull it out at a moment's notice.