Lil Maurice Rated PG

Praise God! When I was a little tike, of about five years of age (1975). I guess I thought I was some kind of explorer or zoologist or something, because I used to go around searching for Moby Dick (the fictional whale). I can't remember hearing the story, and I know I didn't read the long novel. But I was obsessed with finding this creature. Which is kind of embarrassing when I think back on it. Somehow I got the idea that Moby Dick lived down in the sewer system, under the manhole covers.

One summer day a friend and I, with our big afro's and bell-bottom pants, were playing at my house. My mother (RIP 1/8/50- 5/19/86) decided to take me and my friend with her so she could see her friend, who lived in another part of the hood. When we got there we sat on the front porch. The nice lady offered my friend and I some watermelon. After eating that, my friend and I went around to the back of the house, as my mother and her friend sat on the front porch talking. While in the backyard, being simple ones my friend and I had the bright idea to bark at the German-Shepherd across the fence. We stood there barking for a while like animals or more like Garanimals. Then l decided that wasn't too fun, so I went off alone to continue my search for Moby Dick. 

I walked over to the alley, and saw a manhole cover. I could hear the water down under the cover" so I stooped down and began to lift the manhole cover up. I had the cover up at arm's-length while I was still stooping. Then I pushed the cover over on it's back. In doing this I fell forward head first into the manhole. When I first knew I was going to fall, I thought to myself "It would be 'shaarp' if I could do a flip and spin like the gymnast do". As I was thinking that it miraculously was happening in slow motion 🔁. I ended up hanging from the side of the manhole, on the same side but facing the opposite way I fell. While hanging there I could see and feel the rushing water soak my shoes and splash about six inches up my legs. Then I saw the iron steps that are on the side of a manhole right in front of me. For a split second I thought "I could use these steps to go down and look for Moby Dick". But that would've been a bad choice, being pro-life and all, therefore a little fear set in and I decided to climb out. As I was climbing out I remember looking over a little angry at my friend, he was still barking at that dog. I couldn't believe it! When I got out I ran around the outside of the house and told my mother what happened and showed her my water soaked pants. I'm not sure if she believed me at the time. But we did leave soon, and we never went back over there. More recently I began to think that other than a miracle it would've been physically impossible for me to end up hanging and facing that opposite way if I didn't do that particular flip and spin. Fortunately that manhole cover fell backwards and didn't come down on me hanging there or my hands, fortunately the manhole steps were right in front of me, and again fortunately a car didn't come flying down the alley at the wrong time.

God's word says and I bear testimony to it: "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" Hebrews 1:14. And Jesus Christ said: "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” Matthew 18:10 

Parents: Please teach your children how to play safely.