My favourite book was called " Little Black Sambo"- I had no idea it was about a black child. In fact I saw no difference in the colour of the skin, I just enjoyed the adventures, especially the one where he escaped from the tigers and they went round and round a tree and were turned into marmalade.
Innocence means a state of no harm.
Last week I was attacked by a girl who lived in the care home two doors away from my house. I was standing on my drive getting ready to drive to a nearby town. Without warning or provocation she ran up to me and started punching me very hard on my shoulder and arm.
I started running and she pursued me. Then a nieghbour came out and put me in a bear hug to protect me but then the girl hit her several times on her back. I thought when we pressed charges she would be taken into custody and assessed for mental illness. Poor girl, as long and she got the help that she needed. It turned out not to be the case she was assessed but deemed to be rational. She may have aspurgers syndrome.
She pleaded guilty to four counts of assault.
The whole incident left me feeling shaken. Now I feel vulnerable when out and about in lonely places and wonder about the people walking towards me. I have lost that innocent trust in strangers.
I am hoping that I get that trust back. I do see " that of God" in the poor girl that attacked me. But something has changed. All experience changes one, hopefully I can be philosophical about this event and put it behind me.
I have always wondered what I would do in the same circumstances. I would probably respond the same way. No doubt you and your friends are forbidden to visit her, which is probably a good thing, but I am wondering if she could be linked up with anyone who does prison visitation.
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