THE PROTECTOR  

I wanted to call this THE PROTECTOR.  Then I looked up the word.  Protector:  one who protects.

It has been a very long time since I sat in English class, but I do remember my teacher saying, “A definition should never include the word or the root word.”  There went the title THE PROTECTOR.

THE GUARDIAN

My second choice was THE GUARDIAN.  I looked up the word.  Guardian: someone or something that guards.  (My English teacher just rolled over in her grave.)  The second definition of guardian was better.  Guardian:  someone who has the care of the person or property of another.  Drat.  That really did not fit either.  There went the title THE GUARDIAN

Why was picking a title so hard?  This is a simple story about a boy and a dog.  A dog that was paying close attention. 

MINDER:  looks after someone or something; bodyguard; one who protects another person from danger.  We have a title.

THE MINDER

Routines keep life orderly and many are for safety.  Such was one routine that was to be strictly followed many years ago by a small boy.  Grandson Nathan obeyed this one routine, until the day that he didn’t and this routine was a safety routine.

When we would arrive at our home, I would pull the car into the garage.  The garage was not connected to the house and Nathan was to walk straight to the back door and wait.  He would wait until I got my purse and other stuff that needed carried in.  He would walk straight to the house and wait.  Except for the day I heard:

“GRANDMA HELP!  GRETCHEN IS SITTING ON ME!  GRANDMA!”

I quickly dropped everything and ran out of the garage.  There lay Nathan, in the driveway, with the dog sitting on him.  He had not gone to the house.  He had started down the driveway towards the road.  And the dog, a German Rottweiler, became a minder. 

Gretchen was looking after this boy who was not following the routine.  Gretchen was being a bodyguard.  Gretchen was protecting a little boy from danger.  And Gretchen looked at me like, “Do I have to do your job?  You were not paying attention.”

I stopped.  I smiled.  I tried not to laugh, but I couldn’t help it.  Poor Nathan laid there with the dog sitting on him.  I told Gretchen to get up.  She did and slowly walked away.

Now for the question:  Who is your minder?

Who will look after you when getting out of a routine could get you in trouble?  Who is your bodyguard?  Who will protect you from danger?  Who is your minder?