Skip to main content

Okay, So I'm a Chicken

Last night I was home alone with the boys. It was about 10:30 when I heard the first one. Over the next 15-20 minutes I heard another three or four shots, which seemed to be coming from the woods to the south of my house.

Sure, it might have been some poacher out there in the woods hunting raccoons. But maybe not. Is raccoon even in season right now? Is it ever? And I didn't hear any dogs baying as if they were hot on the trail of some ring-tailed bandit.

After peeking out my windows and seeing nothing but darkness, I grabbed the phone. If my neighbors' lights would have been on and I didn't suddenly feel very alone and vulnerable, I probably wouldn't have called 911 to report what I was sure were gunshots.

The dispatcher's first question was "Are you sure it's not fireworks?"

Oh no. Not again.

With those few simple words I had a flashback to when my husband and I were dating. That night I had called him, insisting I could hear gunshots, when he reminded me it was the 4th of July.

But this is May. Who would think of fireworks in May? Not me!

"Uh. I don't think so," I answered, feeling suddenly very foolish because I hadn't even considered fireworks until he asked. "It could have been, but they sure sounded like gunshots to me."

At this point, though, I'm beginning to wonder. Maybe I should have stood on the front porch and scanned the skies for some fleeting glitter sparkling over the treetops. But what if I was right? Standing on the front porch then would be beyond stupid. Hello? How many 3rd-rate horror films have you seen where there's some idiot woman just asking for the ax or chainsaw to find her? Not me, folks! I'll hide inside my house and insist its a 50/50 chance of being gunshots or fireworks.

Eventually the dispatcher, who was a very kind and patient man, assures me they'll send a patrol car through the area. I don't know if they actually did or not, but I didn't hear another shot in the night. Not a single one.

Comments

  1. Anonymous1:28 PM

    I will sympathize with you. Noises are different when your home by yourself. I usually think there is someone in the woods at least once a week, don't feel too bad, but I have never had the guts to call 911

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really did think twice about calling, but the little voice inside my head insisted.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous8:23 PM

    Christ! Will you ever stop?

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Camping with Little Boys

  Our first travel trailer. I don't remember camping much with my family as a kid. This is likely because we always had the same vacation destination: a family plot in Baldwin, MI. There was no cabin there. Instead, there were two structures: a small, silver camper and an old single-wide trailer. The silver camper is gone but the single-wide still sits there and is used by extended family members to this day.  It wasn't until I was a teenager that my step-mom and dad bought a pop-up trailer and we started camping elsewhere in the state. My memory isn't the greatest, but I'm almost certain they got the pop-up after I started dating Ken. Eventually, my parents upgraded to a fifth wheel that my dad still pulls around to various nearby camping spots. Ken, by contrast, didn't have a set vacation destination growing up. His family camped. They started out with a truck-bed camper, I believe, and eventually upgraded to a fifth wheel.  Ken and I vacationed both in Baldwin an

They saved the finger..

This was supposed to be an easy, carefree weekend.  One of those rare weekends where spontaneity is possible because plans were not made ahead of time.  We could lounge on the couch, work on our hobbies, or even do a little shopping.  And, no, I'm not referring to the necessary evil of grocery shopping, but the much more enjoyable version where you get to buy things that actually make you happy. Because the oldest boy needed some pants and the youngest could use a new pair of shoes, I decided to head into the city to do some shopping at Kohl's.  Of course, my decision to shop there was not quite so altruistic.  Mama needed a new bathing suit! So, I pack the kids up and head into the city.  The youngest picks out his shoes . The oldest tries on a few pairs of jeans and ends up with two in the basket.  Did I mention we have to shop in the men's department now?  That he's wearing size 29?  My baby is growing up! Then it was Mom's turn.  I was looking ove

It Should Be Our 28th Wedding Anniversary

I had to do the math twice. Probably because I'm really bad at math. Today should have been our 28th wedding anniversary. We only made it to 26, which is so impressive when you consider how many marriages end in divorce.  So, because I have no doubt in my mind we would have been married still today had cancer not taken him, I want to honor our special day. So, here's a Happy Should Have Been Anniversary to my hubby in heaven.  Today, as I recognize what should have been and think about what was, I figured I'd share not only some lovely pictures from our wedding day but I'd explain how this widow plans to move through October 15, 2022.  In just a little bit, I'm joining another Millington widow at a Widow's Luncheon, which is being hosted by the Amish Church in Millington. I'm a bit nervous, to be honest, because I don't know what to expect. On my best days, I consider mys