[Sam]

A mom was concerned about her kindergarten son
walking to school. He didn't want his mother to walk
with him and she wanted to give him the feeling that he
had some independence but yet know that he was safe.

So Mom had an idea of how to handle the
situation. She asked her neighbor if she would please follow
her son to school in the mornings, but staying at a
distance so he probably wouldn't notice her.
The neighbor lady said that since she was up
early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for
them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed.
The next school day, the neighbor and her little
girl set out following behind Timmy as he walked to
school with another little neighbor boy he knew. She did
this for a whole week without incident.

The next week as the boys walked and chatted,
kicking stones and twigs, Timmy's little friend noticed
the same lady was following them as she seemed to do
every day all last week. Finally he said to Timmy,
"Have you noticed that lady following us to school all
last week and here she is again this week? Do you know
her?"

Timmy nonchalantly replied, "Yeah, I know who
she is."

The friend said, "Well, who is she?"

"That's just Shirley Goodnest," Timmy replied,
"and her daughter, Marcy."

"Shirley Goodnest? Who the heck is she and why
is she and Marcy following us anyway?"

"Well," Timmy explained, "every night my Mom
makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, 'cuz she
worries about me so much. And in the Psalm, it says,
'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days
of my life', so I guess I'll just have to get used to
it!"