One moment...

I was working tonight when a little boy, okay so he was like 9 but that's not the point, was goofing around with his older brother and hit the back of his head in the Zone. I was bagging the groceries for him mom when he came up with blood streaming down the back of his neck. He had a gash in the back of his head. I immediately felt an adrenaline rush and called my manager over to take care of the problem.

My heart was pounding in my chest and my hands were shaking. I tried to stay calm and I did everything that I was expected to do. But even afterwards my hands were still shaking, I almost wondered if I might faint. Now, the sight of blood doesn't make me squeemish but something about where the wound was just took me to another time and place.

Suddenly I could see myself nine years old barefoot in long pants, running the short block to the church house. My mom had just recently been put in the Young Women's and I think my dad was involved with scouts or something like that. It was just me and my two younger brothers, who were six and three at the time, left at home.
We were watching Mary Poppins. I've only seen Mary Poppins once since that day. Landon, the three year old, and Logan, the six year old, were goofing around. I think I was just hanging out in the chair enjoying my newfound 'adulthood'. I think this was the first time I'd ever actually babysat my younger brothers. Mom was only at the church.

Landon bounced from the edge of the couch onto a metal pot which held a large house plant. Most of the details are a blur. I remember seeing blood on the back of Landon's shirt and my blood started racing. What was I supposed to do? Apparently, there is only one thing to do. I left my six year old brother with my three year old brother who had a bleeding head wound, and ran to the church. I think I was panting and half sobbing when I found my mom.

There is more blur. Mom ran home, tried to take care of it herself. Lost her keys in our bathroom. Found a ride to Aunt Diana's house, which was just past the church, got Aunt Diana to take us to the emergency room.  Me and Logan sat and waited in the waiting room. Mom found her keys in the sink in our bathroom, when we returned home with a newly stitched up Landon.

The part I remember most: Running to the church. I had no shoes on. I was crying. I'd left my SIX year old brother there because I didn't know what else to do. This was the day before Cell phones were really that common. I remember the relief I felt as I walked home, my mom running in front of me to get to my little brother. My little brother that I should have been watching better so he wouldn't have got hurt.
All it takes is one little moment to bring back an old memory. It's been 12 years. But some of the details from that day are so clear. One little moment...