Leslie allowed Calvin to live with her to maintain some sense of family for the troubled youngster. She knew he was headed for trouble. All she could do was try and give him good advice when he listened. She soon started noticing things were missing around the house.



At first, she thought that she had just misplaced them. Then more things disappeared. That is when she knew Calvin was taking the things to support some of his many habits. She did not want to confront Calvin, so she just kept quiet. One day she was doing some house cleaning.

When she got to Calvins room, she found some plastic bags which contained an unknown substance. She was sure it was drugs. She decided to confront Calvin. Now she was sure he was responsible for the missing items. The items were not her main concern. She mostly wanted to help her son. Calvin finally came home, and she asked him about the bags and the missing items.

He was furious. He rushed over to her grabbed the bags and pushed her to the floor. He started toward the door to leave. He turned suddenly, and walked back to Leslie who was still on the floor. He stood over her and was about to kick her when the doorbell rang.

Leslie yelled, help me. Calvin ran out the back door. After he left, Leslie crawled over and opened the door. It was one of her good friends. They called the police and reported the incident. Mother and fathers love their children. They do not want to see any harm come to them. There are stories everyday about people brutalized by someone close to them. Yet they still try to protect them.

Sometimes the help required is beyond your capability. We should try and direct the person with problems to the proper authorities. Beyond that, you must think of your own safety and that of the others involved. Sometimes people we know become out of control. People addicted to drugs know no boundaries.

They will do just about anything to support their habit. They will steal and sometimes even resort to violence. Trying to protect them can only worsen the situation. You may become injured or killed in the process. While it is our desire to believe that most people are inherently good, we must take precautions.

You should never give the keys to your house to individuals who have questionable judgment. When a person heads down the wrong track, it usually takes a significant event in their lives to correct the path. Whether they change or not, is ultimately up to them. As a concerned friend or family member you must always have a self defense strategy in mind.