Marlin nodded. "It couldn't have been easy, and itshouldn't have been put on you to figure it out. What did you feel about yourself in all this?"
"After my kidnapping when we first got to Oregon, and to be told it was all my fault..."
"What kidnapping?"
It started out as a lovely summer day in June 1950. My parents had brought us on a vacation from Michigan to Oregon, and then decided to stay, so we moved to a little bungalow sitting on a corner. My father worked out of town at King Mountain as a logger with his brothers. He was very happy with this work, although it kept him away from home for weeks at a time.
My mother wasn't so happy. She began to complain, often. It was a different lifestyle than what she had been used to in Michigan, and she was trying to make friends in the new city. She had become accustomed to people waiting on her every need every day, as a result of surgery and convalesence. She no longer had everyone's help, and she no longer had her group of life-long friends. She began to crack under the stress, feeling "ill" quite often, and so began spending time at the doctor's office.
On this day, June 7, 1950 just before noon, she decided to take me along to see the doctor. . When we got to the doctor's office, she parked down the streetand turned off the engine. "I want you to wait here," she explained. "I don't want to have to bother with you in the waiting room. So, I'll go in to see the doctor and be back out in a few minutes. You're not to leave the car."
I nodded and said "okay" as she got out of the car and walked to the entrance of the doctor's office. She disappeared inside with never a backward glance at me. The sun brilliant in a bright blue, cloudless sky, and was relentlessly heating our maroon colored car. I rolled down the windows, but there was no breeze, and no relief in the still, quiet air. I had no book, no toy, no water, so I just sat there.
My mother didn't come back in a few minutes; in fact she never stepped out to check on me The clock on the car showed that she had been gone for better than two hours, and still no sign of her. I was sick to my stomach from the heat. Across the street was a Dairy Queen with a water fountain outside. I decided I would risk being in trouble, so I slipped out, ran across the street and got a drink, then ran back to the car. Another hour passed, and still my mother didn't appear. Again, I decided to risk her anger, and ran across the street for a drink.
When I got back to the car a tall, hefty man, wearing army fatigues was standing next to the passenger door.
"Hi Linda" he smiled at me.
I stared him down. I didn't talk to strangers. All my senses went on high alert.
"Don't you remember me? I'm a friend of your folks? You saw me last week at the get together at their friends house. Don't you remember?"
I thought for a second. We had been at the Tanahill's home with a huge backyard party just a few days ago. The men were all loggers, and the families got together when the men came down from the mountain.
"I don't remember you," I said. "And I don't talk to people I don't know." I backed away from him.
"Sure, you're the Dunken's girl, Linda. Clarence and Hazel, good friends of my friends. My wife and I are new in town, just like your family, and we are getting to know everybody."
I looked at him in surprise. He was friends with my parents. That meant that I had to be polite to him.
"Anyway, I drove by a bit ago and saw you just sitting in the car. I told my wife, and she said to bring you home. She will give you some lunch and lemonade, and I will sort things out with Hazel. She's going to be tied up for quite awhile longer."
"She called you?"
"Yes, that's why I came back here to get you. So lets go see Helen, and get you out of the heat."
Well, really! What a fun adventure this day was turning out to see.
"You'll have to get in on the driver's side," he said. "We're still getting things moved and the car is pretty packed up."
It was, and there was barely space for me to sit down next to him. But we got settled and then her pulled away from the curb, driving carefully and humming to himself. My mind was racing, because I was pretty sure I was in trouble, big trouble.
Should I scream? Who would hear me.
Should I tell him I changed my mind? I didn't think it would matter.
Maybe though, he was telling the truth. Maybe.
"I'm really stuck," I complained, and I pushed myself up so I was half sitting and half standing on the things stacked in the passenger's part of the seat.
"That's it," he said. "Just make yourself at home." He smiled at me and winked as the car smoothly rolled past all the streets and out of the city.
"I thought we were going to your house."
"We are."
"But there's nothing out here."
"Sure, see that little turn off ahead, that's the road that leads to our house."
He turned into the dirt road and drove a little way, then parked under some trees.
"Where's the house?"
"Well, I lied to you, and I'm so sorry about that. But I wanted to talk to you before I took you home. I wanted to tell you how beautiful you are, and that I love you, so much more than your mother who left you in the car all afternoon while she went to the doctor. Having you here with me is a beautiful thing," he purred as he unzipped his pants.
He reached for me and pulled me closer, pulling down my shorts and panties. He began kissing and licking and touching me. It was gross.
"How did you know I was there all afternoon?"
"Because, silly, I was across the street when you pulled up," he murmured nuzzling my private parts. His left hand moved quickly, and I thought he was going to hit me, but instead he grabbed his penis.
"What do you think you're doing?" I yelped, and his eyes flew open. I pushed his hand away and began trying to wrestle my shorts and panties to pull them in place. He let go of his penis and tried to get my shorts back down. I kept wiggling and hitting at him, so he slid his hand up under my panties. He was cooing, saying sweet things to me.
"Stop it!", I begged, "take me back."
"Oh, sweetheart. Don't be scared. Remember, I love you. That's all I want to do is love you. But if you really want to go back, then I will take you" And I saw snakes glittering behinds his eyes as he looked at me. I could hardly breathe. I was terrified. He backed out of the trees and headed the car in a different direction.
I was gripped with fear. Would he take me back? I hoped so, but I didn't think so. I watched him, taking in everything about him as he maneuvered the car through twists and turns and back roads. I watched him, say nothing, because I wanted to "see" him, to get ready for fighting him.
At once my breathing slowed, my heart slowed. I was familiar with this friend. I called him Timothy, and he had protected me many times in the past. I nodded my head.
"Here's what you must do. You will pass a mill very soon, and the bell will ring for the people to quit work. I want you to tell him that you know what he thinks he is going to do with you. Tell him to turn around and take you back or you will jump on the horn as scream your head off. Can you do that?"
Again, I nodded.
The road jogged and ahead on the left at the horizon was a mill.
"I know what you think you are going to do to me," I said matter of factly.
"What is that sweetheart?"
"You think you are going to take me to that mountain up there, to a secret place you know, and you plant to do bad things to me and hurt me. Then you plan to kill me."
"Oh, no sweetheart, I would't do that."
"Oh, yes you would. So if you don't turn around and take me back I will jump on the horn and scream my head off."
All of this was said as the whistle blew at the mill and people began pouring out the doors.
"But sweetheart, I promise..."
I struggled to regain my position, and held on as the car rocketed along. I was quiet. I had nothing more to say to him. I waited. Ready to jump again, if necessary.
He slowed the car as he pulled into the city limits, keeping to the speed limits and driving carefully.
"I will drop you off on the corner," he said, flatly. I didn't answer.
He swung around a corner and I recognized where we were. "Just a couple more minutes" I thought to myself, "and I'll be safe." Suddenly, he grabbed me by the hair, while the car was still moving and hauled me across his lap and out the window, throwing me to the pavement. He never slowed, but kept right on going.
I hit the pavement with my shoulder and head, and rolled into the gutter. I was stunned, but I was free. I pulled myself up and began running towards our car, but it wasn't there! It was too much for, and I began to cry. I walked around in circles, and decided to walk to the Dairy Queen across the street. I was frantic. I knew I was in for the beating of my life.. could my day get any worse.
At the Dairy Queen I slowly lowered my mouth to the water, but I couldn't stop crying. I was in a new city; I didn't know anybody and I was afraid to ask anybody for help.
"I want you to stop for a minute, and take a break" Marlin said. "Let's get you calmed and at ease. We can continue this next time." He handed me a box of tissue and set down a glass of water. I was shaking all over. He patted my shoulder.
"I'm so sorry," he said.
"It's not your fault."
"No, but I can be sorry, anyway."
I gave him a watery smile.
"I'm interested to know how he knew your name. Obviously, he got your parents' names off the registration on the steering column. Right?"
"I'm pretty sure that's how."
"But how did he get your name?"
"Oh, I was wearing a shirt. It was all glittery and pink and white. And in big pink letters my name 'Linda' was spelled out across the front!"
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2 Thessalonians 1:7 "And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels."
Luke 4:10 "For the Scriptures say, 'He orders his angels to protect and guard you."
Psalm 91:11 "For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go."
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| I thank you Lord for this special friend you sent me, and I thank you for the protection. I have seen, through You the might army that you send out at your command to protect, so that even a toe might not be damaged. I thank you. I thank you that You love without discrimination. Let me return the love You have given me, let me return it is some small measure every day to everyone I meet. For there is nothing I can attain that can match the love and wonder of you, dear Lord. |
