“My Knight In Shining Armor Is Me”
CONTENT WARNING: Domestic Abuse (Prior to events of story)
I was attacked a few months ago by my stupid ex and his idiot friends. While they sit in a very LONG timeout, I’m stuck with what they did to me and the ins and outs of healing a handful of broken bones and some pretty disfiguring facial scars. To begin with, I was heartbroken. I was never going to win any beauty pageants, but it was MY FACE. After that, I got pretty angry and bitter about the whole thing. While now I’ve moved on into a kind of acceptance that life just sucks right now and that it won’t suck forever, I was horrible for a while there. My friends and family were understanding, but I definitely bit off a few heads that probably didn’t deserve it — and a couple that did.
After a particularly bad day, I’m in line at the grocery store, just trying to buy some dinner and get home. My leg and ankle still hurt to stand on for long periods, and I’m already grumpy when I notice the little girl in front of me staring at me. I sigh internally, waiting for the kid to start pointing or crying or bugging their parent about what happened to me; it’s been a common theme during recovery.
The little girl steps toward me.
Little Girl: “Excuse me?”
Me: *Still apprehensive* “Yeah?”
Little Girl: *Whispering* “Are you a hero?”
I blank out for a second. Out of everything I expected her to say, that wasn’t it. Her mother realizes her daughter has stepped away and calls her back over.
Mother: “[Little Girl], leave the lady alone.” *To me* “Sorry, she talks to everybody.”
Little Girl: “But Mummy, she’s got an ouch on her face like Uncle [Relative]. Uncle [Relative] got his being a hero.”
Mother: *Looking embarrassed* “We don’t ask people how they got their ouches, honey; it’s not polite.”
Little Girl: “Oh. Sorry, I just thought you might be a hero.”
Me: “Well, no. Some bad people wanted to hurt me, and they did.”
Little Girl: *Very solemn* “But you got away?”
Me: “Yeah, I got away.”
Little Girl: “And they’s in jail with the police now?”
Me: “Yeah, they are.”
Little Girl: “Then you are a hero; you just saved yourself!”
I definitely cried when I got back to my car. That kid probably never thought of me again, but I think of her whenever I’m having a really bad day and remember that I saved myself.
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