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"Jacob!" Daddy yelled to his 6 year old son "come here buddy, I got a surprise for you." The hurry of footsteps could be heard around the corner as Jacob came running down the steps to his father. He ran to his dad with hurry, "Daddy, daddy, what is it? Give it to me, I want it!" he shouted with joy, without even knowing what it was. That was the beauty of being young, every surprise and moment of life was exciting and happy. He reached his dad and grabbed his leg, his head only reaching to about where his father's hips were. "Daddy, come on already, your too slow, show me the surprise!" His dad reached behind him and pulled out a shoe box from a bag. "I got you your first pair of shoelace shoes," his father said with great joy in his voice "isn't that exciting! You get to learn out to tie your own shoes now!"

Jacob was still wearing Velcro shoes. His father asked him a year before if he would like to try wearing lace shoes, but Jacob was too scared of them. He thought he would trip everywhere because he wouldn't tie them well enough. This year his father decided to get him started on tying his shoes.

"UmmÐ'...ok daddy, I guess I will give it a try" Jacob said with the nervous tone in his vice. His father pulled the shoes out of the box, they were size 6 Nike's. Jacob eyes opened wide as he saw how cool the shoes looked. "Daddy, these are awesome!!" He shouted as he jumped up and down with tremendous joy and praise. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He said with excitement and craziness. Jacob seemed as if all these years, all 6 years of his life, he had been waiting for this one pair, this one moment to see these shoes that would change his life. Little did Jacob know, these would be the shoes that would save his life today.

"Alright, lets sit down and try these bad boys on," Daddy said "I wish I had a pair of shoes like these Jake, these are chick magnets." "Dad, you're married," Jacob replied "and girls have cooties, that's gross!" Jacob said with his disgusting face on. He got his foot in the right and his left in the other shoe. His dad began to show him how to tie the shoes "you see, you loop itÐ'...swoop itÐ'...and pull it, just like that," he said "now you try." Jacob bent his knees and grabbed both shoe laces "loop itÐ'...swoop itÐ'...pull it, right dad?" he said as he did the motions of tying his shoes. "Good job son, now try the other one" his father said. "LoopÐ'...swoopÐ'...pull it, I DID IT!" Jacob yelled at his father and jumped up to give him a high five. "Awesome job Jacob" his dad said as he slapped hands with his perfect child. "How about we walk down to the store and pick out some sweet new shoe laces, sound good?" he asked Jacob. Jacob replied with a hurry of 3 nods from his head.

As they began to walk down to the store only 3 blocks away, Jacob's father asked him about his upcoming year of kindergarten classes.

"Hey buddy, are you nervous at all about kindergarten? I know it's a big step for you," he said, "your mother and I think your ready for it, but I wanted to ask you."

Jacob was staring down at his new shoes, every step he took his head would bob back and forth following the shoes. "I think I am ready, I am not excited about meeting new people, I am always scared to, but I will meet new people and friends." Jacob replied, as he kept his head down with a big smile looking at his shoes.

"Well, if you get scared and feel uncomfortable, just tell me O.K. Jake?" his dad said.

"Okie dokie dad" Jake replied.

"Hey" his dad said quickly

"What?" Jake replied has he looked up at his father

"First one there gets a candy bar" he said back to Jake

"O.K.!" Jake said as he started running as fast as he could to get a good head start.

Two blocks in front of them stood the store they were running to. As they had already been walking though, the store was being robbed. A man had walked in and approached the register where the clerk stood.

He pulled out a gun and yelled "Give me the money you son of a bitch!" The clerk stood there frozen in place, he was an older gentleman in about his 60's. "Are you stupid or something, give me the money, damn!" the robber yelled again at the clerk.

"O.K., O.K. just please don't hurt me, please. I have