My Valentine: An Unidentified Man Who Saved My Life

One day when I was 8 ½ years old and in 3rd grade, I stayed home alone from school. We lived in a somewhat safe, middle-class suburb of Houston. I was a latchkey kid. Peeps had to work, there were no nannies, so it was the way it was. Today, these are the things that keep CPS in business.

As I recall, I don’t think I was really sick. I always reveled in my days alone. They were mini vacations — food in the kitchen, the remote, game shows, soap operas and cartoons. And no parents. The rules: Do not answer the door to anyone. Keep the door locked. Do not leave the house.

At some point around lunchtime, I got bored. I decided to see if my friend was home (Kid Logic!). The neighborhood was a ghost town on weekdays and everyone was at work and school. Ok now, time to break the rules….I walked from our corner house to Sharon’s. She lived in a “circle,” a pocket of the subdivision that had a roundabout and a large circular grass-covered median. A lot of kickball happened on this median.

While I was skipping down the street, I realized I had a peppermint candy in my pocket. I delightfully put it in my mouth. I then knocked on her door. Of course, no answer. As I turned around to go back home, the peppermint got swiftly lodged in my throat, blocking my ability to breathe. I was choking.

I ran to Sharon’s water hose, to see if I could flush it out (Kid Logic). I then ran into the median, jolted around, and realized nothing was going to dislodge this candy. Next. . .

I realized I was dying. I was in 3rd grade and had this conscious thought: “It was over. Just like on TV.” So, instead of trying to feel death, I decided to spin around to make myself dizzy, so I would pass out (Kid Logic). I was choking while I was spinning. I am guessing it wasn’t a pretty sight. I knew I had seconds left. Next…

Out of nowhere — a man came up behind me, and hit my back a few times, and the mint jolted out on to the grass. I remember this like it was yesterday.

I clearly remember crying, and remember hugging him so tight and saying thank you. I remember the feel of his stiff cotton khaki shirt. I remember he was Hispanic. I remember asking him where he came from:

You can see in the picture where I was on the median. He was working on a car, underneath it, on the next driveway over, past the white car. There were less trees obstructing the view back then. JUST AT THE RIGHT MOMENT, right before it was all over for me, he had rolled out from underneath, turned his head, and I happened to be in his view.

That split second saved my life. I deeply love this man. I wonder if he is still alive, if he thinks of this day. But–somewhere, somehow, I hope he can feel my gratitude for his angelic appearance in my life. I would like this symbolic day of Love to be extended to this unknown Angel.

I will end by saying — I NEVER TOLD MY MOTHER. Why? Because I was afraid she would never let me have candy again. Kid Logic.

All my love,

F