Years ago, my mother used to work in bars.  She worked in bars for more than twenty years, and worked at a place called King Falls Lounge.  Guys used to be attracted to her, but most of the guys that liked her were creeps.  I heard that when I was just a toddler that a man found out where she lived, and he got into her house somehow, and was standing on her bed, I assume he was waiting to rape and kill her.  Thank God she went to my grandma and grandpa's house that night, and that I was staying there also.  She knows that he was there because she saw footprints on her bed.  My mother was also followed home many years later when she was married to another creep.  My step-dad ran after him since he had the nerve to drive all the way up in our driveway.

 Many years later, about the same thing happened to me.  I used to go out with my friends, and three times, a different man was chasing me in my car.  I was speeding, because I didn't care if a cop pulled me over because I was pretty scared, and I figured that the cop would go after the man that was following me once I told him.  One of the times I was followed, I drove up to our local jail and they let me inside.  I was able to do that then because I was married to someone that worked there at the time.  I knew that I shouldn't go home because those men would know where I lived.

 I also used to check I.D. at the door at King Falls, which also leads to being a bouncer.  One night, I was out with my friends, and my mom asked me to check I.D. at the door, because the bouncer was sick, so I did, and someone got bounced, and it wasn't me.

 There was a girl that came to the door, and I asked her for her I.D., and she didn't have one, but explained to me that  she really needed to talk to a girl that was there.  I told her that she could only talk to her for a couple of minutes, and then she would have to leave.

 A few minutes went by, and I told her that it was time to leave, and her friend that she came to see, tried to block me from getting to her, and even bumped me with her hip.  The girl that bumped me was about six foot three inches.  She was at least six foot two inches.  Well..... I had to do my job, so I hit her in the face, and she went down with one hit.  My friends came running over to see if "I" was alright, and then another bouncer grabbed her, and made her leave.

 Another time that I was out, it was my husband's and my anniversary.  (I'm remarried now), but I was just minding my own business, and went to the bathroom.  A girl came up to me in the bathroom  (I swear she had a huge face like a lion), and was mad that I wasn't friends with her mutual friend anymore.  I told her that it was none of her business, so she grabbed my wrists and pinned me up against the wall.  My ex-husband taught me how to get out of that move, and I did it, really fast too, and out of reflex, I punched her just one time in the face.  She was scared of me all of a sudden, and asked me if I was going to let her out of there.  I said, "Sure, I just wanted you to leave me alone."  Right after she walked out of the bathroom, she got on the phone, and she had the nerve to call the police, so I started beating the crap out of her when she was on the phone.  That really made me mad !  She had some nerve to grab me, then I defended myself, and then she called the cops.  My mother saw what happened and let my ex and I out another door, that was normally locked, then she locked it back up.

 The cops showed up, and of course my mom and other people covered for me, and the cops never even got my last name, but the funny thing, is that the cops were already there when we were leaving, and my ex and I walked right next to them while they were talking to (Sherry), the girl that I hit, and we got in our car and left.  I really feel that God was watching out for me that night, and all those other nights. It's like God made us invisible to walk right past the cops and her.   God was also watching out for my mother.  I found out later that Sherry was a drug dealer.  She wasn't  so tough though.  I think it's pretty funny that I beat up a "big bad drug dealer."

 The biggest reason that I don't go to bars is because God was looking out for me all those times, and he was there watching over me my whole life.  I think about all those times that I went out, and it took time away from what means the most to me.... my kids.  I have known for years now that I'll never get that precious time back with my kids, and we are closer than we have ever been.  I also have a husband that I met in church, and time with him is precious too.

By: Sherry Grimes