Good Friends

Monday afternoon, a bank in our town was robbed at gunpoint in broad daylight. The assailants escaped in an SUV and have yet to be caught. This is highly unusual for a small town like ours, and left the residents on edge.

Although I was concerned about the situation, it was really up to the police, so after a prayer for those involved, life continued on in our house. Evening brought homework, dinner, baths and bed.

With the house buttoned up tight, I headed onto bed, and quickly fell asleep. I was awakened some time later by my dog. She started out growling, then woofing, then downright furiously barking. I started to chastise her for barking at her boyfriend next door, when I heard someone knocking on my door!

It's 12:30am, a bank has been robbed a mile from my house, I'm not opening the door! I jumped out of bed, cell phone in hand, and my finger hit the speed dial 5. No, not 911, but my best friend two houses down. I'll get to that in a minute. I run down the hallway, with my dogs carrying on like a pack of wolves, and my heart racing like crazy. Still someone is pounding on my door.

It's not college kid, it's not my husband, they both have keys. If it was the police, they'd announce that, right? So, this can't be good. Friend tells me to call the law, then says to hold on. She woke her dh, and they came flying down here to see who it was.

I soon found out everything was okay, the person outside was a neighbor of mine. She wanted to tell me about the bank robbery, and that the perpetrators hadn't been caught. I appreciate that, but she really frightened myself, and my children. Plus pulled my other neighbors out of bed, and surely scared them as well.

So why did't I call 911? I am not sure. I picked up my cell, and went straight for their speed dial. They're always there for me, no matter the hour or the problem. They are the best friends I could ever wish to have. By the way, they are the ones I had invited over for Thanksgiving just days before. When I mentioned this to them, that I really should have called the police, my friend mentioned that they would have been here first anyway-they would have heard the call over the police scanner.

So I learned a few things from this experience: lock your house at night, keep a phone by your bed, have a dog or two with a big bark, and good friends are worth all the gold in the world. Whether I need to talk, want to chat, or have a dire emergency, my friends are always there for me. Thank you T and T for everything, you are the best. Thank You Jesus for such wonderful friends, and for keeping us safe that night and always. Amen

Chela