The Not So Strange: Stranger

 

     When Miss Hernandez and her son Juan pulled into their driveway, they saw Mr. Lopez cutting the grass.  Mr. Lopez cut the grass every Monday and Friday for Miss Hernandez.  When Miss Hernandez and Juan got out of the car.   Miss Hernandez said hello to Mr. Lopz and Mr. Lopez said hello back.  Then Mr. Lopez said, "Juan, it won't be long before you will be cutting the grass."  Juan smiled and went into the house wiht his mother.

     While Juan was in the house, he asked this mother, "Can I go outside and play on the porch?"  His mother said, " Yes, but don't go any further than the porch."  So Juan got his favorite racecar and went out to play on the front porch.

     Mr. Lopez stopped cutting the grass and went up to Juan and said, " You like racecars?"

     Juan said, "Yes, sir."

     Mr. Lopez said, "I have a lot of racecars at home.  Would you like to go with me and get some?  I will let you have as many as you want." 
    

Juan said, "Yes!"

     When Miss Hernandez noticed that she didn't hear the lawnmower any more, she decided to go and check things out.  That is when she saw Juan and Mr. Lopez walking hand in hand to Mr. Lopez's truck.  Miss Hernandez screamed as loud as she could, "Juan get back here!"  Juan broke away from Mr. Lopez and ran to his mother.  She said, Where do you think you are going?

     "I was going with Mr. Lopez to get some racecars," replied Juan.  Mr. Lopez got into his truck and drove off.

 

QUESTIONS

  1. What did Juan do wrong?
  2. What would you do?
  3. What if you see this happening to someone else?

 ANSWERS





  1. Juan should have asked his mom before he decided to go with Mr. Lopez.
  2. I would never go with anyone without my parents knowing first.  I do not care who they are or how many times I have seen them around my house.
  3. I would tell my parents or a grown-up.
AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS

Just because you see someone working around your house, doesn't mean they're not a stranger.  Juan needed to realize that Mr. Lopez is still a stranger.  Mr. Lopez is a familiar stranger because he is someone Juan sees all the time.  Sometimes it is easier for kids to trust a familiar stranger than a complete stranger.  If a grown-up works for your parents, they should deal with your parents only.  Talk with your parents about this story.