An Impactful Conversation

Lesson 2 Exercise 3

A conversation.

As soon as my bother came through the door, he began calling my name, “Allen, Allen, come in here, now!”

I was in serious trouble. My sister-in-law called him home from work because I missed the school bus – intentionally.

Before coming to live with him, I missed school anytime that I didn’t feel like going. And this was one of those times. It was the first day of school. I was fifteen years old and not ready to cope with a new school, new home in another state, and new classmates. I didn’t know anyone.

“Sit down, over here!” he ordered.

I sat.

He angrily continued, “What is this nonsense of missing the bus?”

My brother was over 6 feet tall and seemed very threatening standing over me. But I didn’t let my parents tell me when to go to school and he wasn’t going to either.

“I didn’t feel like going today”, I said boldly.

He responded, “I don’t care what you FEEL like. You are going to go to school.”

And to add emphasis he added, “Today, tomorrow and every school day, while you’re staying with me, you will be in school!”

With the utmost of defiance I stated, “Well, I just won’t stay here then. I’ll run away. ”

One of the reasons for me having to stay with my brother was because I would run away from my parents home to avoid having to go to school. My parents never tried to find me and gave up on trying to make me go to school.

My brother, knowing my past, thought for a moment. He then, in a slow, clear, firm voice said, “You go ahead and run away. But I want you to know that there is nowhere for you to hide. I will hunt you down. No matter how long it takes, I will not give up, I will chase you to the end of the earth. And when I find you, I will jerk your right arm off at the shoulder and beat you with the bloody end.”

Now, for most folks, those would be very scary words. But, for me, it brought tears to my street hardened eyes. What he just expressed to me was that he loved me enough to chase me to the ends of the earth if necessary. I had never had anyone care that much about me.

I didn’t hesitate when he told me, “Get in the car, I’m taking you to school.”

My response was partly out of fear, but also out of gratitude – because he cared.