When Travis was four, we moved to Denver, where Dave had been assigned a new church. Before we could even unpack, Travis wanted to go out to find some playmates.
I stood in the doorway and watched him as he went from door to door, knocking and speaking to whoever answered. I couldn't hear what was said, but some of the neighbours shook with laughter that rolled down the street in waves.
One of them told me afterward that Travis had asked if there were any little kids in that house, and when he heard there weren't, he asked, "Well, why don't you get some?"
A few doors down, he saw a little girl sitting on the front step, so he didn't need to knock on the door. That was a good thing, I found out later.
The little girl shake her head a few times, and then Travis came back home.
"I'm going to play in Beth's yard for a while. She isn't allowed to go out of her yard."
Times were different then. Kids were safe playing in the neighbourhood. Usually, anyway.
"OK, but stay where I can see you," I said.
Travis nodded, collected some toys from one of the boxes we had opened and headed back to her house. I watched them for a few minutes, then went back into the house to get on with unpacking.
A little later Travis came home, with a deep frown furrowing his forehead.
"Beth's dad yelled at me. He told me to get out of there. I asked him why 'cause we were playing nice, and then he grabbed Beth's arm and yanked her in the house. I rang the doorbell but he didn't answer, and Beth didn't either. Why was he mad at me?"
Dave and I looked at each other, and then Dave hunkered down, eye to eye with Travis.
"Son, sometimes people aren't mad about what you think they're mad about. You didn't do anything wrong. And probably Beth didn't either."
"But he was hurting her, Dad. Her arm was all red, he was holding it so hard. Why was he hurting her?"
"Maybe he didn't know he was hurting her."
"But he wasn't treating her with 'spect, like you say we're s'posed to."
Dave sighed. I could tell he was having trouble figuring out what to say.
"How about I go over later and talk to him? Maybe he just needs some of the Lord's love."
"Doesn't the Lord already love him?"
"He does, son. Maybe Beth's dad just needs to be reminded."
Travis nodded gravely. "When I say my prayers tonight, I'll ask God to remind him. And I'll ask God to remind him to treat Beth with 'spect, too."
He settled down in the corner with his toys, his frown gone, humming to himself.
YOU ARE READING
A Soldier's Heart
General Fiction"Travis was a soldier with heart. His love for his family, his country and his community is unquestioned. He never hesitated to put his life on the line for those he loved- and he loved many and deeply." So begins Travis Barrett's eulogy. A true her...
