Editor:
On a beautiful summer day, 35 to 40 years ago, my husband and myself were cruising around Canmore in our motorhome.
We lived in Alberta, so we really enjoyed the mountains for holidays.
Suddenly, my husband pointed to a very small boy who was standing on the sidewalk and crying as loud as any baby can cry. He was one of those super blond children and his face was very red.
My husband pulled over and parked. I got out and approached the poor little fellow. I tried to ask him who was, but he either couldn’t even talk yet, or was too upset to do so.
So I stuck out my hand and said, “Let’s go find mama.” He took my hand very willingly and even stopped crying to trot along beside me.
I took him to a blacksmith shop and asked if I could use their telephone. The man replied they did not have one, so instead of proceeding downtown, which was several blocks further, I turned around and went back to the house that he had been standing almost in front of.
It was then I noticed that he had obviously just crossed a bridge just a little further back.
This was a traffic bridge and had very low sides. It made me shudder to think that he could have leaned over and fall in. So I picked him up and went up the steps of the house.
Very fortunately, the lady of the house was in. I asked her if she had ever seen this child before. More good fortune; she said that just the day before she had babysat some children next door to where this child lived, on the other side of town. And that he was the banker’s son.
So she asked me to sit down, but when I did, he started to cry again. I instantly got to my feet again and offered him a stick of gum. He liked that. While this was going on, the home owner telephoned the parents.
It must have taken less than 10 minutes for the mother to arrive. It seems she had gone downtown, father went downstairs and had temporarily forgotten the child. Little blondie took off.
Anyway, blondie shouted “Mama” and jumped into her arms. She shouted his name and they were happily reunited. So I left.
I have thought of this very frightened baby many times over the years and have been so grateful to have been able to help him. As a mother of eight, I was naturally very concerned for him and I thank God my husband noticed him to start with.
Nina Jensen,
Strathmore
