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[–] hedy 0 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago 

Good idea to share stories (they are relevant) - I have a hunch there are quite a few.

I was 5-6 and was walking with my best friend down an alley that connected our houses about 6 blocks apart. This was back when kids were free to roam the neighborhoods where front doors were left unlocked. We were right alongside her back yard when a brown car pulled up to us. The driver, a 20-something guy, scraggly, dirty opened the door and the passenger, also scruffy and dirty got out and came to where we were standing on the driver's side of the car. They gestured toward the back where there were candybars and dollar bills placewd on the back seat. "Hey - you want some candy or money?" they said - trying different phrases to coax us - promises of puppies or kittens and more candy. And the one guy started walking towards us to grab us. It all happened so fast. And we immediately ran off toward her backyard gate and got away.

Had either of us been alone somewhere else further from our house, we would not have been able to get away. The other thing that saved me was instinct - the guys looked scary and I didn't like what was going on.This was before "stranger danger" was a thing and before anyone talked to kids about dangerous situations like that. The other weird thing is - I never told anyone about it until months later. At the time, I really had no idea how big a deal it was. Thank my lucky stars. And thankfully, kids are more educated about this these days.