As a baby I was hospitalized as soon as I started eating solid food. Eventually I was diagnosed with sugar intolerence and able to return home with a special diet.

At some point afterwards, at a very young age, like 4 or 5, I was hospitalized again, when at my father's request I told my mother I was feeling sick (I have no idea why I chose to lie). I distinctly remember him asking me to do this and asking him why, to which he said "please do it for me as a favor, I will explain later." He never did explain it.

After days in the hospital and more blood draws than I can remember, what I assumed was a nurse came to me, woke me up, her mouth and nose were covered with a mask, and she said "(Using my first name) you are not sick, you must go home."

At first I was terrified and recoiled from her, at which point she dropped the mask and said "You know me, do not be afraid. Please I don't have time to explain. Tonight they will come for you, when they do, wait until you see a bathroom, run inside and lock the door. Do not open it for anyone except your mother or father."

To this day I have no idea who she was, the room was dark, but her voice seemed familiar and her manner made me trust her implicitly. I have several aunts who were nurses at the time, but none of them ever confessed to being the one. She said, "go back to sleep now, but remember, do not go with them - run." So I did what she said...

I only remember being awoken, and told to line up with many other children. As a group we were marched somewhere. It was dark, it felt like night time to me. At some point we stopped and were waiting for something for what felt like a long time, and a nurse walked past and seemed to nudge me towards an open door. I looked and saw it was a personal handicap bathroom, with a heavy door and I immediately ran inside and locked the heavy bolt.

From there I only remember crying while staff hammered on the door and demanded I open it. How long I waited, I don't know but eventually my father came to the door but I was asleep. I do not remember if I openned it for him, I only remember being picked up and feeling safe at last. From that point on, whenever anyone asked how I was feeling, I said "Fine, I feel fine. Can I please go home?" I believe they kept me one more day and then I was released.

For years I said nothing to anyone about any of it, in fact this is the first time I can recall. Although eventually I did ask my parents about some of it, they said I was misremembering, that it wasn't at night but that the hospital had its blinds closed and that is why it seemed dark to me. However, take note dear reader, my father is the only one who was able to come to the hospital when it happened and was also the sole reason for me being there to begin with... I never told my mother that my father had asked me to lie, I think I sensed that she would not believe me and that the only result would be my father's anger.

I have come to the conclusion my father achieved a fairly high station in education, and somehow used me to pay for it. Either it was an Angel that intervened to save me from some deprevation unknown, or someone heroic to whom I owe it to tell this tale, or perhaps I dare to hope, he chose to wear the black hat only to infiltrate and achieve some greater purpose...

"Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul."

Psalm 66:16