A Second Away From Being Grabbed From My Car

The incident occurred I was still a teenager somewhat unfamiliar with driving a car. I was coming home very late at night from a new job in Minneapolis, Minnesota or in one of the large industrial areas around it. I have always been a morning lark and easily get up at five o'clock AM, but I worked the late shift when that was the only work to be had. So I was probably sleepy too, and I could not find my way home. I was fearful to be out so late at night.

I had been stopped for a long time at a red light with no other traffic around, and I clearly remember my panic when I realized that I had forgotten to lock my car door just as an unclean, crazed demonic man grabbed my car door handle to wrench it open and drag me out. I stamped on the gas to drive through that red light to safety as I slapped the door lock button locked. I can still see the sneer of disappointment that twisted across his pimpled face that he would not get me, my money, my life, whatever he wanted to pull out of my car. Over fifty years later, I still see his face every time that I lock my car, and I want to forget that demon.

Creating the illustration of this incident was frightening to me even though I am now an old and strong woman. If I believed in those sorts of things, I would consider this blog post an exorcism.