“I ain’t a’goin’ home, and you can’t make me.”

By now, Cathy was soaked and freezing, and could only imagine how cold he must feel.

“Are you running away from home?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Cathy stood. “I’m pretty cold. How about we go sit up on my porch out of the rain and talk some more, okay?”

“I ain’t supposed to talk to strangers,” Melvin Lee said.

“I understand, but you’re probably not supposed to be running away, either, right? Look at my ankle. See how it’s all wrapped up?”

He nodded.

“So, I hurt it yesterday, and I can’t stand up on it for long, and I sure can’t run, so you could outrun me in a second if I was mean, right?”

He saw the wrapping on her ankle, and then looked straight into her eyes.

“I reckon I could sit on your porch for a bit.”

“Good. I need to sit down, too,” Cathy said, then held out her hand.

He took it without hesitation, while she picked up the garbage bag. They walked back to the house together, then up onto the porch. The moment they were out of the rain, Cathy saw the tension in his little body let go. She helped him up into her porch swing and then put the bag he was carrying up against the wall.

“I’m gonna go inside and get us a blanket, okay?”

He was starting to shake and just nodded in agreement.

Afraid he would run, Cathy hobbled quickly into the house to call the police.

Avery, the day dispatcher, took the call.

“Blessings P.D. This is Avery.”

“This is Cathy Terry at 311 West Cherry Street. There’s a little boy at my house who says his name is Melvin Lee. I don’t know what’s going on, but I saw him walking past my house in this downpour dragging a garbage bag. I thought he was lost, but he says he’s running away from home, and he’s soaked to the skin.”

“Oh my word! Yes, ma’am. We’ll get someone right there,” Avery said and disconnected, but before he could dispatch a cruiser, the 911 line rang.

“Blessings 911. What is your emergency?” he said, then heard a lot of kids crying, and a woman who sounded on the verge of hysterics.

“This is Junie Wilson. My son, Melvin Lee is missing. I called him to come eat lunch and he didn’t answer. He’s not in the house. I’ve looked all over and, oh my God, I don’t know what happened to him,” she wailed. “I can’t go look for him on my own because I’ve got all these babies and it’s pouring.”

“Someone just found him and called it in. I’m about to dispatch a car to go pick him up,” Avery said.

Junie wailed again. “Oh thank God…thank God. Is he okay? Where was he? Who found him?”

“Ma’am, all your questions will be answered in time. Just calm down. He’s safe, and someone will be bringing him home.”