The Adoption—A true story

My aunt, Sylvia couldn’t have babies,
so she and her husband, Bill,
decided to adopt.

This was in 1942,
when adoption wasn’t so complicated
and didn’t take nearly as long.

Karen became available
at nine months old.

Her birth mother sent
the three of them on their way
with a suitcase filled
with pretty baby outfits,
diapers, and bottles.

So with Karen in tow,
they began the journey
of a lifetime.

Bill drove
while Sylvia sat
in the passenger seat
holding Karen in her lap.

In the forties,
car seats were an invention
men and women
hadn’t thought of yet.

It was wartime
and soldiers were often seen
around cities and towns.

Bill and Sylvia spotted
a young man in uniform
walking along the road.

Bill pulled over
and asked the soldier
if he needed a ride.

He gratefully accepted.

Sliding into the back seat,
he began making conversation
with the couple.

He complimented the cute baby
and then settled back to relax.

Sylvia’s experience with babies
was nonexistent,
and suddenly
she went into panic mode.

“Bill, I don’t know what to do!
She needs to be changed, Bill!
She’s wet and I don’t know
how to put on a diaper!

Bill!
How do you change a diaper?!”

She’s crying!
How do I get her to
Stop crying!?

The young soldier
quickly asked
to be let out of the car.

He suddenly seemed
to be in a great hurry.

Bill and Sylvia asked
why he wanted to leave
after only a few miles,
but he gave no explanation.

He simply hurried away.

Perplexed,
Bill and Sylvia drove on.

Meanwhile,
the young soldier rushed
into a nearby café
and asked to use the telephone.

He immediately called the police.

“Officer, I’d like to report
a kidnapping!

These people have kidnapped a baby!
They didn’t know what to do with it!
They couldn’t even change a diaper!”

He described the car
and urged the policeman
to hurry.

Soon,
a police car came speeding
down the highway,
siren blaring.

The officer spotted
Bill and Sylvia’s car
and pulled them over immediately.

He strode to the driver’s window
and sharply ordered Bill
to roll it down.

“License and registration!
We’ve received a report
that you two
have kidnapped a child.

Now step out of the car.”

The officer reached toward the baby
while Sylvia let out
a loud, helpless scream.

Bill desperately tried to explain
that they had legally adopted Karen
and would never take a child
from its mother.

“Well then,
show me the adoption papers.”

The officer followed Bill
to the car
as Karen’s new father
gently opened the glove compartment
and reached for the papers
with trembling hands.

The officer spoke gruffly
as he snatched them away.

The adoption certificate
and documents appeared
to be legitimate.

Slowly,
the officer’s face changed
from red with authority
to pale with embarrassment.

“Well… uh…
we received a report
from one of our American soldiers
saying you two were kidnappers.

He said, “you seemed unfamiliar
with the basic needs
of an infant.”

There was an awkward silence.

Finally,
the officer cleared his throat.
“Good day,
Mr. and Mrs Nelson.”