Have you ever walked into your home and known something wasn't right?

In the summer before 5th grade, my mom, and siblings went out to get lunch. When we got home we pull up and see this car parked in the driveway. My mom tells me to go find out who it is, so I hopped out of the car and walk towards the back gate. Suddenly the gate opens and two guys come walking out. I noticed a few things. One of the guys had a gun. And the other guy had my grandma's purse and a pry bar.

I asked what they were doing and they said they were looking for work, So they get in the car and I run to tell my mom to back out so they can leave. As they backed out I took a good look at the car, the make and model, saw there were two local radio station stickers on the lower corners of the rear window, and tried to remember the license plate.

They leave and my mom drives into the garage and I tell her I think we got robbed and she needs to call the cops. At first, she probably thought I was full of shit, but when we got inside we found my grandma tied up with a phone cord, and the house ransacked.

While my brother untied grandma my mom called the cops. Soon there were cops and detectives at the house. I gave them the description of the car and two guys. I remembered 3 out of 6 of the license plate.

They sent up a chopper and soon had them stopped at a gas station a few cities away. The detectives drove me to that gas station to identify the guys.

After they got arrested it was apparent that I was the main witness, Before trial, the DA coached me and warned me that their attorneys would ask me questions to try to confuse me. That I just need to ask them to explain if I didn't understand etc….

On the day of the arraignment, I was pretty nervous. I did my best to not show it, but I was pretty intimidated by the whole thing. Just as the DA warned me, the defence attorneys grilled me about the type of gun, who was holding it etc. I answered easily since it was on my mind replaying since the day of the robbery. I told the attorneys there was something different that day though. They asked what that might be. And I pointed at one of the guys and said he has a beard today when he had just a moustache when he robbed us. And he, as I pointed to the other guy has much shorter hair. Immediately they said no further questions and that was it. They decided to plead guilty instead of going to trial. The DA said I was so cool under that pressure and he couldn't believe I was 10 years old. That was a defining moment and nothing I faced growing up, ever really put pressure on me. I dealt with high pressure with ease.

Unfortunately, they were out on bail awaiting sentencing and they both jumped bail. Every day for the next year, I'd get off the bus and sprint home. I was afraid that they were going to come after me…lol…they eventually got caught in Louisiana a little over a year later.

I just want to clear something out, I asked my mom when the robbers posted bail. She says that the contractor they worked for posted bail. She said that they didn't want to make me worry that they were out of jail since I was already placed with the burden. being the only witness. She said that the local police kept an eye on them, or that's what they told my parents. So since they were out on bail already, and never fled.. having their boss post bail had a lot to do with that…..they presented no flight risk, so they were able to stay out of jail until sentencing. And that's when they fled when they knew they were going to prison.

That new bit of news to me pisses me off. I would rather be scared and sprint home while keeping alert looking for them. Much better than being oblivious and getting snatched without a fight.