May 29, 2015, Reno- When I was a boy, forts of all kinds were the only way to go:  Tree forts, rock forts, and bedding forts (which were the bane of my mother’s existence).  My last night in Reno finds me “guarding” a blanket fort, the creation of a 3-year-old, and actually very sturdy.

We all seek security, knowingly or unknowingly, every waking moment of our lives.  The information age has brought the need for new kinds of fortresses. So, we make do with passwords, both fun passwords and the more mundane variety.  We pick and choose who gets to see what- and I have had the discomfort of an e-mail account being hacked, a few years ago.  I learned the hard way, six years ago, about computer viruses, trusting the wrong “Internet Security” outfits, which led to wiping the slate clean.  Now, I maintain a high level of security online and am conscious of offline safeguards as well.

We watched a program, this evening, about predators and their teen prey.  I spent the better part of my career educating children and youth about  how to avoid just this sort of thing, in the aftermath of some serious depredation in the 1990’s.  Now, as I have ridden around the Biggest Little City in the World, I see trusting young women holding signs, asking for assistance, having seemingly little knowledge of the sort of people who could “help” them.  I can only pray for these naivetes, and talk with those who will listen, to get them to focus on building their own fortresses.

The blanket fort survived the night, and its creator slept safely, in another bedroom.