The other day, when I came home from work, I found an unknown kid in my backyard. Immediately, I was about to call the cops, but then he started talking. This was the strangest evening in my life, and it only got weirder. For a moment, my life turned upside down. I was just on my way home, parking the car, getting out, and heading for the door.As I approached home, a little dark figure appeared. I thought it was some kind of animal ready to attack; my heart pounded out of my chest. Then, for a moment, I thought it was a ghost. But there you go— it was just a little boy! He looked tired, with messy hair and poorly dressed. Poor thing, he must be lost, I thought, as I reached for my phone to call the police.

But the boy clung to my arm and, with a trembling voice, like a grown-up, said, “Mom, don’t do it. I…” The Unexpected Confession I froze. This boy, whom I had never seen before, was calling me Mom. I kneeled to his level, trying to stay calm, and asked, “Who are you? Why are you here?” Tears welled up in his eyes as he stammered, “My name is Tommy. I was looking for my mom, but I got lost. I saw your house and hoped you could help me.”My heart ached for him. He couldn’t have been more than seven years old. I led him inside, offering him a glass of water and a place to sit. As he drank, I noticed the dirt on his face and the weariness in his eyes. “Where do you live, Tommy? Do you know your address?” I asked gently. He shook his head. “I was staying with my uncle, but he… he said he couldn’t take care of me anymore. He left me on the street.”The Search for Answers The situation was worse than I thought. A million questions raced through my mind, but I knew the first step was to make sure Tommy was safe. I decided against calling the police right away; I didn’t want to scare him more than he already was. “Tommy, we’ll figure this out,” I reassured him. “First, let’s clean you up and get you something to eat.”After a bath and a hot meal, Tommy seemed more relaxed. He even managed a small smile. I called a friend of mine who worked in social services, explaining the situation. She agreed to come over and help.While waiting for her, I tried to get more information from Tommy.