Baldwin Hills

This story contains a frightening incident of a man exposing himself to the protagonist when he was a child. However, I survived the situation and I'm glad that I could write about it.

Baldwin Hills

Gary Grissom

At the intersection, I could go right and head home – but turning left would take me all the way to Baldwin Hills. Yes, Baldwin Hills, which I had viewed longingly from my school yard at Palms Elementary for the past school year. In that year, 1957, Baldwin Hills beckoned to me like an enchanted land where there were trees, deer, raccoons, rabbits and other woodland animals. In the future, those distant hills would become just another large residential neighborhood; but not at that time when we lived in the quaint neighborhood of Palms. I had moved to Palms with my family from San Diego a couple of years before this and I deeply missed the canyons and wooded parks I had explored with my friends. All there was in palms was a Eucalyptus grove by the railroad tracks and a few pine trees to climb in the sanitorium a few blocks from our rented home. I needed an adventure!

As I got on my red and white Polar Bear bicycle and turned to the left, I decided that this was the day I was going to ride to Baldwin hills before I rode home. Mom would think that I was simply staying after school to play kickball with some of my friends as I had done many times in the past. She wouldn’t have dinner ready until around six o’clock. Therefore, I felt for certain that it would only take me about a half hour to ride to the hills. When I got there, I could spend some time exploring and then get back on my bike and get home in time to eat dinner. No problem.

As I started riding down Motor Avenue, excitement like electricity surged through my small frame and I felt like Davy Crockett entering the wilderness of Tennessee. Yes! I was going to see some wild critters in those hills this afternoon. However, despite that I peddled as fast as I could, I noticed that Baldwin Hills didn’t seem any closer. Instead, it seemed further away. Also, I realized that it was now dusk and that the sunset wasn’t too far away. Would I be able to get to the hills before then? But I was determined to get there no matter what. Finally, about a half hour later, I arrived at the base of the hills. I rode through the parking lot of a business and hid my bike beneath a few bushes. Then I started walking up into the hills and was immediately thrilled when I saw a couple of mule deer chewing on a patch of grass. I silently walked towards them; but when they sensed that I was near they ran off into the woods. I was in heaven! What would I see next? I walked into the woods and surprised several cottontails and then, a minute later, I saw a coyote who looked at me and showed no fear. “Uh-oh” I said as I realized that coyotes often ran in packs. it was now time to leave! I backed up slowly because I knew instinctively that if I started running he might have chased me. I was relieved that the coyote didn’t approach me. However, as he trotted off into the trees, I realized that he might have gone to tell other coyotes of my presence and it was now time for me to run back to my bike and hurry home. When I pulled my bike out of the bushes, I was relieved that I wasn’t being chased by a pack of coyotes. However, it was now late in the day and I was guessing that my parents were probably wondering where I was. I didn’t have a wristwatch to check the time but I was sure it must be close to dinner time. If I had a dime, I could call home; but as I put my hands in my pockets I found only two pennies and a stick of gum. I was in trouble. I pushed my bike back onto the parking lot and started peddling; but a man suddenly opened a car door and said “What the hell are you doing here? Don’t you know this is private property?”

“Oh I’m just coming down from the hill up there. I’m only passing through your parking lot.”

“Come here kid!” he said as he got out of his car. “Do your parents know where you are?”

I thought about riding quickly out of there, but because he looked like a nice clean cut man I decided to tell him how and why I was there. But as I was talking, I was stunned as he exited his car, unzipped his fly and pulled out his penis.

Instantly, I started peddling away and was horrified when he said “Oh come on kid, don’t you want to watch me pee?”

I broke all my personal records in bike riding as I exited the parking lot and rode for two blocks before stopping at a red light and looking over my shoulder to see if the man was following me in his car. I was greatly relieved that he wasn’t and looked around in hopes of seeing a police car. I didn’t see one as the light turned green and I started peddling again. It was now getting dark and the only thought I had was to get to the safety of my parents and my home. Although I didn’t have a light on my bike, I was still able to see because of all the bright street lights. Almost an hour later, I finally drove down Keystone Avenue and saw my mother standing on the front porch of our house.

“Hi Mom.” I said sheepishly as I got off my bike and pulled down my kickstand.

“Gary! Are you okay? Where have you been? We’ve been worried sick! Your dad called the police.”

“I’m fine Mom.” I said as she walked off the porch and threw her arms around me.

Dad came out of the house then and I could see that he had been very worried too.

“Son…are you okay?”

“I am now Dad.”

We walked back into the house and Dad called the police and told them the good news that I was safely home. When he hung up the phone, Dad looked sternly at me and said “Okay Gary. Now tell me where you’ve been and why you let us worry frantically about you.”

Mom brought me glass of lemonade and I proceeded to tell of my experience as my brother and sisters and fox terrier listened intently. When I finished, Dad told me that he was going to have to whip me with his belt as he unbuckled it, and told me to go into my bedroom and lay across my bed. I knew I had it coming and I was relieved that he only hit me with four whacks instead of the usual seven or eight. An hour later he gave me a big hug and said that he loved me.

On a Saturday morning a couple of weeks later, Dad drove me to Baldwin Hills and we had a wonderful time exploring them. To be on the safe side, Dad had purchased us two Whamo sling shots in case we encountered an aggressive pack of coyotes or a mountain lion.