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Safety and Security on the North Shore: Don't Take it for Granted
By Jennifer McManus

Last month, stopping for my daily latte fix at one of our local ubiquitous coffee shops, I encountered a situation that got me to thinking long and hard about what may get taken for granted in this great community - safety.

I parked my car, got out and happened to glance at the car parked next to me.   In the backseat was an infant, not any older than six months.   He was alone in the car.  

He was sitting in his car seat in the back seat of the car.   I double-checked to make sure that he was, in fact, by himself.   He was.   Not only was he by himself, but as I engaged his gaze through the window, I saw that he was holding a set of keys in his hand.   The car was unlocked.   I looked around to see if either his caregiver or a parent was sitting outside of the car enjoying one of the few sunny days in January.   I saw no one.

At that point, I was the only person around looking out for this boy's well-being.   I stayed for what seemed like an eternity, cooing at him and talking to him.   I'm sure it wasn't really more than a minute or two.   A young woman came out of the coffee shop and approached the car.   She was a caregiver.   She saw me talking to the baby and said hello.   I can't remember exactly how I responded.   I know I said something along the lines of, "Oh, I was wondering who belonged to him."   I also said, "I hope the keys he's holding are the spare set of car keys."   She said, "Oh, no.   Those are the keys to the car.   I can't leave him if I don't give them to him; he cries too hard."   She then got into the open car, got the keys from the baby's grasp, started up the car and pulled out of her parking spot.

I was in a state of shock.   She seemed--no, was, completely-- unaware of the potential tragedy that she had just avoided.   I stood there for a few seconds trying to grapple with what I had just witnessed.   I immediately tried to give her the benefit of the doubt.   She must be terrific with him in hundreds of other ways.   She clearly has gained the trust of her employers or she wouldn't be in charge of the precious life she had in her car.   She must, as we all may at some point, have thought to herself "Hey, it's the North Shore.   It is safe up here."

I relay this tale not to throw anyone into a fit of doubt about their caregivers or themselves.   I simply hope that this story will resonate with us and help us remember not to take anything for granted.

Yes, it is safe up here.   Comparatively speaking.   That safety is a huge part of the appeal of being a resident of the North Shore.   I have taken that safety for granted more often than I certainly should have.   We all have from time to time.   That does not mean that we should lose sight of what I call the "what if" scenarios.    Lattes are great.   Our kids are better.