Scary Night!

Yesterday was a pretty good day. Could have been better if I were free of the evil coughing virus, but give it a few days and I'll be fabulous again. But sadly I have no training to report, as I had to sit out of the Sunday morning bike ride that I organized due to the aforementioned virus and coughing. But MV valiantly tried to kill his new friends with speed and endurance. These new friends were totally up to the challenge and I have heard a fun ride was had by all. Then I met them for breakfast - which I can guarantee was fabulous.

Yesterday night, on the other hand, was not pretty good. Anytime police have to be called, it falls in the not good arena. But it does feature a bike, so I guess it belongs here.

See, it was about 10:30 p.m. MV had gone up to bed. I was sitting in the couch, right where I am now in fact, wearing the same clothes I am currently wearing - ewwww - and having a little peek at Facebook before bed. (Don't worry - I put them on in the evening cuz I got my other clothes dirty from gardening, so these are relatively clean still. I know you were obsessing.) I heard a metallic noise that came from the gas fireplace area, right across the room from me and next to the big giant window with open curtains. Sometimes in the winter, when you turn off the fireplace, the little vent box outside gives a metallic twang as it cools. It was sort of like that. But it is not winter and the fireplace was not on. I sort of looked up, but the cats hadn't moved so I figured it was nothing. A minute later, Ari (cat) gets up and starts looking out the big giant window with the curtains open. But he doesn't looks scared, just interested. Tully (cat) starts looking out the back sliding door, again just interested. I figure that Black Kitty, their friend who thinks he lives on our deck and I don't know where he really lives but he doesn't look like a stray, was out there trying to get them to come play. Eventually both lay back down. I glance up again.

PEEKING IN THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER OF THE WINDOW IS A PALE FACE! I make a little startled sound - EEP! I am directly across the room from the face, staring right at it.It was lit only by the light coming out the window, which was not much, so I couldn't see that well. My logical mind takes over (later I realize this is not all that logical) and I figure it must be our friend Mark P who was in the area and came to see if we were still awake - but peeked in first to not bother us if we were sleeping. Or maybe my sister. Both of them are pretty pale. Mind you, I hadn't hear a car. So I say, "Hello. Who's out there?" The face moves back a bit, but is still there. "Hey," I say, "say your name so I know who it is." The face says nothing and moves away toward the front door. I go to the front door and flip on the outside light. I peer out the little window at the top, but no one is there. Now I'm annoyed - why is Mark P messing around? So I look back to the big giant window and kind of see that the person is pressed against the wall between the window and the front door - hiding from me. Then it occurs to me - that didn't really look like anyone I knew, even in the dark, and this might not be good. So I yell for MV, grab my purse (containing the cell phone) and book upstairs.

I quickly explain that there is someone peeking in the window and we need to fix this problem. MV says, "Well, did you bring me pants?" I'm all, "No, I didn't think of it. I brought a cell phone. I think I'll call 911." He says to wait and finds some jeans. He grabs the flashlight weapon and goes out the back door. Not what I had in mind exactly. But he checks all around the deck and door and there is no one. He gets the work flashlights and goes to the end of the drive. He reports back that the guy was laying in the yard across the street next to a bike, but got up, stumbled and ran into the woods. He never would have seen him except the bike reflectors lit up nicely when he hit them with the flashlight. He left the bike, which had branches and twigs all caught in it like it was dragged through the woods. We wonder if it was stolen from another house.

By this time, I have called 911. I quickly explained that it was not an immediate emergency, but that someone had been peeking in the windows and laying in the neighbor's yard so I thought I needed to report it. (Poor woman on 911 - I apparently am not skilled at explaining my emergency. So glad I am not famous so my call will not get played for everyone to hear.) She says she will send someone over and we should watch the bike so it doesn't go away. We stalk around the yard - ok, I cower and MV stalks - and keep guard over the bike. Within, I'm guessing, 10 minutes we have two police cars. With nice, VERY young looking (gosh I'm old) cops. Thank goodness they didn't come all lights flashing and freak the neighbors out - we possibly did that with our running around and flashlighting, but they probably assumed I lost a cat again. We told them the story. MV said they might have been a drunk since they did stumble when getting up. And there had been a party down the street earlier, but it didn't seem rowdy and was long over.

The cops looked at the bike. They said they guessed it was evidence and they should take it. Then they decided maybe it was better to lean it against the tree near the street to see if anyone came back. Or if they later saw someone riding a purple bike around in town - not sure what they planned to do actually. And they said they would be around the area that evening if anything else happened. They did not take fingerprints or spray cool solution all over everything like in CSI.

We went our separate ways. Aside from me thinking I heard a noise while we locked up the house, prompting MV to have to go out again with the flashlight, it was a quiet night from that point on. I can't say that I really slept much. I kept peeking out the bedroom window to see if the bike was still there.

And there it remained, still leaning on that tree at the end of the drive.

2:27 p.m.
Just looked out. The bike is gone. For those who will ask, no it was not an expensive bike.