The Monster Next Door
Welcome to my world. It started 40 years ago. Two military parents whom already bore a son. My parents worked hard to provide a great life. They resided in a nice house in the suburbs of New Orleans. Family vacations, big family gatherings during the holidays, cookouts, birthday parties; just living life. My parents had date night every other Friday and they would secure a babysitter. She lived across the street from us. She was nice. She wasn’t the problem though. This is where my love/hate relationship for men all started. This is where I learned what had to be unlearned; The only thing men desires is sex. It all started one night with an innocent game of hide and go seek. He was ccounting. 1...2....3...4....We all ran, innocently hiding in places we thought we would not be found. I hid in the guest room under the bed. I can see his feet and try to make a run for it to base. He looked around acting as if he were looking for everyone. We were the only ones in the room. It was as if he knew I was in the room alone. He walked slowly to the bed and pretended to look around the room. He bent down and smiled with his hand gesture over his mouth as to tell me not to speak. I froze! He started touching my young, tender, four year old chest. I started to shake. Then he moved his hands down to my stomach, then my hips, then my thighs. He skipped my pocketbook (thats what we called a vagina) and watched my eyes to see how I would react. I didn’t. I was angry. I just wanted to scream, but who would belive me? What would my parents think? What would they do? He was our next door neighbor. Finally, he yelled out, “I got her!” Everyone came from their respective corners. I did not want to play anymore. I was done. Everyone kept asking me why, thinking I was upset that I was “found” first. That wasnt the problem. The problem was he just disrespected me and now walking around like everything is ok. Even at the young, tender age of four, I knew what he was doing was wrong.
