It was a dark and scary experience that no woman should have to endure in 1986, let alone today. Just after stopping for one drink with friends outside a pub, she unexpectedly found herself the focus of a would-be mugging. Measuring only 153 centimeters tall, she was able to hold off an attacker. He sought to violently mug her, but she would not give in, despite being half his size and half his strength. That evening highlighted the astounding capacity of humanity and kindness. It had a lasting impact on the narrator in other ways.
The attack occurred late at night while the women was having fun at the bar. Upon her exit, she was accosted by a man who ordered, “Give me your purse. He attempted to physically threaten her during a scary exchange on the floor. As fear was about to take over, relief came about in the most unanticipated way.
A throng of adolescents, who had been in the area, tried to help. While one of them chased off the assailant, the others formed a protective circle around the narrator, keeping her safe. They wanted to know if she was alright and what they could do to better support her through her process. Their response was immediate and it shed light on spreading goodness that you wouldn’t expect in the most intimidating of waters.
The narrator sat down and thought about how she felt at this meeting, talking about how she felt let down by the individual who attempted to hurt her. She took comfort in the response of the youths who saved her. “Get out!” yelled one youth as he chased off the attacker, putting himself at risk but showing incredible courage and quick thinking.
Over 40 years later, the narrator still grapples with that day. She comes to the conclusion that it was in those experiences that she learned her most important lessons. She learned, too, that you should never judge a book by its cover. She learned that every human has the ability to lift a stranger out of despair. That experience with those kids is one of Roselyn’s best memories, one that continues to act as a radiant lighthouse fortune in her adventure.
Moreover, this event conditioned her with the lesson to be wary. Now, she always requests that someone escort her back to parking garages late at night. That habit comes from a lesson learned from one of those moments that should have ended a whole lot more tragically.