Walking...after midnight...

You never know what you might see driving after midnight in Texas. I had to run a little girl home who was spending the night with Kristen because she wasn't feeling well. She wasn't feeling well before she came, but decided to take a chance. Didn't work, but at least Kristen had company for a few hours tonight. She is lonely with her big sister and two best friends out of town.

I'm driving along, radio low, two half-asleep girls in the backseat, and see several unusual things as I go. I don't live in a quaint old neighborhood (such as Charlestown/Bunker Hill, MA...sigh...) or a place that never sleeps (NYC so I've heard?). This is suburban America. Cookie cutter neighborhoods, where the cars and bikes are in the garage and the porchlights are turned off at 10 p.m., except for the Motel 6. Well, there aren't any Motel 6s around here, but you know.

I guess the heat is just leading folks to do things late, late at night when it's cooler--when it's "96, feels like 99" instead of "106, feels like 116."

One gentleman was carrying a bag of groceries home from the Neighborhood Market, still dressed in his white shirt, tie, and black pants.

Two teenage boys were just walking...who knows where? I hate that I thought "I wonder if they have a gun" as I drove by, but more and more that is not so farfetched, even in this suburban area.

The best thing was a tall, lanky man leading a skinny little girl by the hand down a sidewalk, a convenience store a block or so away the only obvious destination. My first thought was, "Why does that guy have that little five-year-old girl out walking after midnight? She oughta be home in bed asleep." (Not that my own children were home in bed asleep, but you know.)

As I watched them for the brief instant it took to pass by, though, I thought, "No...that is a good daddy." A scene came to mind that I hope is true.

The houses in the neighborhood next to where they are walking are aging--at least 15 or 20 years old. I would imagine the air conditioners in some are not humming along as well as they used to.

I'll just bet that little girl was struggling to get to sleep in a hot house, tossing and turning. Finally, she gives up and walks to the family room where her daddy is watching television, trying to make himself sleepy enough to fall into bed and get some rest. Rubbing her eyes, she says, "Daddy, I can't sleep...it's too hot!"

The young father runs through his options. A drink of water? A cool rag? They might help for a moment or two, but what is the best way to help this little girl go to sleep. Should I? No...people will think we're crazy. But, maybe. Yep, let's do it.

"Honey, get your shorts on. Let's take a walk down to the gas station and get something cold."

Eyes huge, the little girl runs and puts her droopy shorts on under her mama's castoff t-shirt, slides her tiny toes into her flip flops, and hurries to the front door, where her daddy is waiting. She is relieved he doesn't change his mind before she's ready.

He grabs her hand, and they walk the two or three blocks to the gas station, pay for the extra-large cherry Icee, and off they go, back toward the house. He takes occasional sips, but mostly enjoys watching his daughter's sunken cheeks as she tries to finish it before they get home. She pauses to cast the occasional comment about what she observes around them.

"Daddy, look at the stars. They are winking at us!"

"Daddy, there are a lot of people driving so late. I bet they wonder what we're doing walking down the street in the middle of the night!"

He smiles and enjoys her wonder.

When they get back to the house, he gives her a few more minutes to sip on the icee, then tells her to put the rest in the fridge in case she gets thirsty again and run to the potty. Afterwards, she gives him a big hug and kiss before settling back into her now strangely soft and cool Dora the Explorer sheets.

"Thank you, Daddy. You're the best daddy in the world."

The daddy watches for a few minutes while his little girl drifts quickly to sleep. He is thankful he ignored the practical voices in his head and stole a few precious moments with his little girl, walking after midnight.