Children in our world

Every Sunday morning, I meet my BFF at Walmart for our weekly grocery shopping trip. We have breakfast at McDonalds first then shop, covering the WHOLE store. Today, did the same thing. Checked out. We had driven separately because she has to work today and just incase I needed to stay longer, or whatever, we drove ourselves. On the way home, she's a little ahead of me & calls because she says there is a little boy walking down the road. In his shorts and tee-shirt, with a backpack. Looks to be 8 or 9. This road, is a double lane road, the speed limit is only 40 mph, but there is no sidewalk. I told her to call the police. She does, but keeps going home b/c she has to get to work. I get up there, and see him. It's a little 1st grader I KNOW because I subbed for him a zillion times in Kindergarten. I whip around and stop. I get him out of the road, he was IN the road, not on the grass or anything. I ask him what he's doing, he is teary eyed....doesn't know. Doesn't have a good reason why...I ask where is his family and he says he lost them. Then I ask where he lives, tell him how dangerous it is on this road. Ask what's in the backpack. Books. :( Incase he wanted to read. I ask what teacher he has this year, he tells me he thinks he can get himself back home but he lost his dog. I ask if that's what he was doing, looking for his dog and he said yes. I asked if he was running away and he said no. Poor baby. I hated to tell him the police were going to give him a ride. He asked me to drive him. The police finally showed up....the poor little guy was crying and pitiful. He had to be freezing, it was only like 40 degrees out this morning. I called his teacher. My heart is broken for him. He has a rough life at home, from what it appears.