Dear Mrs. Bluth,
I am a delivery guy who delivers papers, magazines and other reading materials to stores in many Orthodox communities and what I see truly scares me. You must be thinking, ‘Yeah, sure, a guy writing to me, who’s scared yet! This must be a prank letter.’ But it’s not! And I am scared because I am the father of two small children and what I see scares the living daylights out of me!
It never fails. Wherever I deliver, the neighborhood doesn’t matter, you have this in every community with a large family population, I never fail to find young children watching younger children and babies in carriages unattended because their mothers are inside stores shopping. Do theses people never read newspapers where children are reported abducted while their parent left them, even for a moment, as they ran in to buy a bottle of milk, a loaf of bread, an outfit for the abducted child? Do they ever turn on a radio because of course there is no TV, to hear even the few ‘Amber Alerts’ broadcasted? Then I think, would it even matter, when my own sister is guilty of doing the same thing! I caught my seven-year-old niece and three-year-old nephew sitting outside of a children’s clothing store alone and my sister inside shopping. I stood with them until she came out and then gave her a piece of my mind. Her response was indignant saying it’s perfectly safe this is a yiddishe neighborhood and chassidim don’t kidnap their own. This, after we suffered through the Kletzky tragedy. I held myself back and told her if I ever see the kids by themselves alone in the street, I would kidnap them!
Please, Mrs. Bluth, I know many people read your column even way back to the days when you wrote the Agunah Chronicles which helped so many women get their gitten. Do another great public service and expose this modern day danger. There are all kinds of mentally sick people roaming the streets just looking for a small, defenseless ‘korban,’ even in our world, even amongst our own!!
I thank you in advance because I know you care about Klal Yisroel.
Moishe the Shlepper, your neighborhood delivery guy
Dear Moishe,
Many years ago, even before I wrote for The Jewish Press, I composed a poem for a class in criminal psychology where I had to see things through a pedophile’s perspective. I had to change only a few words to fit the picture you paint. Here it is.
I think it says exactly what you want every mother to hear.
” I’M WAITING AND I’M WATCHING ”
I’m watching as you leave your kids
to shop inside the store,
You justify this simple act
by shopping near the door.
But then your eye catches sight
of the “SALE” rack in the back.
I’m watching as you move away,
that’s when I will attack!
You left outside three precious jewels
aged one and three and six.
I’ll snatch just one, or maybe all three
that’s how I get my ‘kicks!’
These kids are $$$ in the bank
on the ‘baby’ and flesh market.
You make my job an easy one,
you’re such an easy target!
I won’t be watching you come out
your arms filled with worthless ‘buys.’
I won’t be there to here your screams
as the tears pour from your eyes.
The carriage you left with 2 kids plus one
before you went inside,
Stands eerily empty of occupants
desolation personified!
Police sirens and Hatzolah vans
arrive in wild perfusion.
Medics attend to your needs
FBI men sort through the confusion.
And as you lay there beyond help
your heart bleeding and broken.
Your precious children spirited away
without a loud word spoken.
You left your children alone outside
and you went inside the door.
I watched as you stopped watching them
while you shopped inside the store.
When you were out of eyesite
I was near as you went far.
I stepped forward offering candy
as I made off with them in my car.
I read about “US” yesterday
your tearstained face was on page 1.
Along with pictures of your kids
your 2 daughters and baby son.
If only you’d been more cautious
then today would never be.
The NEWS would be of other things
and you’d still have your three.
Mothers listen well and beware!
when out on the Avenue,
Don’t leave your little ones alone
keep them very close to you.
No “bargain” is worth losing them
no “SALE” is so enticing.
Remember, I may be somewhere near
I’m waiting and I’m watching!!!!