Article March 19, 2018 Issue

Empowered to say ‘no!’

Name Withheld

When I was a young man, an early high school student, I started taking the bus to the downtown YMCA on Saturdays to take swimming lessons. One morning when I was walking from the bus stop to an entrance, I noticed a man watching me. He followed me. I decided it was best not to run in fear, and I began to pray as I was learning in the Christian Science Sunday School. I prayed to know that God was ever present and protected all His children.

The man got closer and followed me right to the bottom of the stairs that went up to the door for YMCA members. When I turned to look at him, he reached out to grab me inappropriately.

With confidence and courage I shouted, “Don’t you touch me!” He jumped back, and I ran up the stairs to go into the pool area. For a young teenage boy to speak so confidently and powerfully to a grown man must have been a real surprise to him. That was the last I ever saw of the man.

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