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Fear

Two nights ago, as I lay in bed just drifting off to sleep, I heard a noise which sounded for all the world like someone trying the knob of the door directly beneath our bedroom.

I sprang from bed, turned on the light in back of the house, grabbed a flashlight which didn’t work, turned on the hall light.

I looked down the stairs through the plastic sheeting which still divides the inhabitable part of our house from the portion under renovation, trying to discern any movement in the darkness.

My heart was racing as I envisioned confronting an intruder.

Finally I realized that the noise was caused by a cat.

I never used to be jumpy like this. Hell, we lived here for a good portion of 2006 without locking doors on the lower floor. At some times we didn’t even have doors at all.

Xy slept through the whole thing. I didn’t even mention it to her in the morning.

Published inLife with XyMiscellaneousOur House

9 Comments

  1. Anonymous Anonymous

    wow — scary, esp w/ you wife expecting? i don’t know you guys at all, but i love your blog. i saw you had what to expect while you’re expecting on the book list a week or so agp. you guys should check out a girlfriend’s guide to pregnancy — it’s cute and funny and, well, a lot better than what to expect. congrats 🙂

  2. rickngentilly rickngentilly

    i get it.

    some times i awake from a dead sleep thinking i had just heard gun shots of the automatic variety.

    i finally figure out it was a dream while walking around the house and going outside and checking the block.

    and at that point the wife wakes up and asks why are you out of the bed.

    at least you are geting this mess as you fall asleap.

    i get it it in the middle of the night.

    i tend to shake off my fear when i get back in bed and spoon with my wife.

    she is the only person i ever met who smiles in their sleep.

    peace to you and your wife sir.

  3. rickngentilly rickngentilly

    p.s. i dont know if mr. ed and his bike tour is a big bullshit extravaganza

    but i do know that his talk at dillard was the first time since katrina that i heard someone say something that wasnt a pipedream and tell the uncomfortale truth.

    check this guy out bart and post on him please.

  4. chrissieroux chrissieroux

    I can relate. The other night–Thursday?–I was home along with the baby and the sirens started wailing, as they often do these days. Then the power went out. I started lighting candles and I was moving through the kitchen I saws someone moving out of the corner of my eye. It was, of course, my own shadow, caught in the light of the candle. I was frightened by my own shadow.

    My startle response is in high gear these days. Go figure.

  5. Bart,

    I wanted to tell you how much you impressed me that day at the rally. I am so glad that I made the trip from Houma to witness that day. I wish I could have met you that day. Maybe another time. If ya’ll have to do another rally or whatever, you have my support.

  6. bullet bullet

    My solution to this has been to get a shotgun. Not to actually harm anyone (though I would if it came down to it), but because I can’t imagine anyone sticking around when they hear the sound of the pump action. Of course, I don’t have children (yet) and will have to seriously rethink this when I do. Hopefully, by then we’ll all be a little more comfortable and secure.

  7. I had to replace all the light bulbs on our front porch recently, and it looks like I’ll have to do it again. For the first time ever, I was afraid to open my front door when someone rang the doorbell.

    A few weeks ago, someone rang the bell, and I got weird about opening the door because I realized all the porch lights had burned out, and I wouldn’t be able to see who it was. Turned out it was a neighbor wanting to know who owned a car that was parked pretty badly in front of our house. The next day, I ran out and bought bulbs, struggled with one of our unwieldy tall ladders, and changed the things out.

    I’ve got to do it again. It’s annoying to do it, but the fear is waaay greater.

  8. Marion Marion

    Hey Bart,
    Cats are not my favorite animal for that reason. You never know what they are up to. I know I use to own one. Anyway, in lieu of school reopening today I came to this coffee house on Metairie Rd. to correct some papers. Finishing I thought I check the Merlot site…well…its gone! What kind of operation is this? See ya!

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