Perpetual Ruminations

A Haunting?

Sometime during the night I woke, but didn't know why. Usually it's the "call of duty" waking me from sound sleep. I then try to ignore the urge, but find I can't go back to sleep. I then get up and head to the head, take care of business, climb back into bed (if Bellah hasn't stolen my spot) and return to my slumber.

Last night, however, I didn't need to use the bathroom. I snuggled into the blankets and was on a return trip to never-never land, when I heard something. I tried to excuse it as something I wouldn't have to get up and investigate, but before I could, i heard it again. It sounded like someone had banged the door shut!

I got up and pulled my robe on, then went to the living room, the area I thought I had heard the sound. We keep night lights on so there was no reason to turn on any more light; I stood in the shadowy gloom and listened. Then I heard the slight creak followed by the back screen door banging shut. This, of course, got my heart beating faster. I went to the door and looked out, there was no one there and the motion light had not activated, so I knew  nobody had scampered away.

But, even as I was looking, the screen door opened about a foot, then banged back shut. I have to admit, it startled me a lot. There wasn't anyone there, how had the door opened an closed? I opened the inside door and looked, the screen was latched so it wasn't the wind. I was bewildered to say the least.

Then, the door latched released and again the door started to open! I thought my heart was going to explode from my chest. There wasn't anyone there, yet someone had unlatched and opened the door!

My mind was racing trying to find a rationale explanation when I heard a kind of squeaky sound at the top of the door. I looked up and there was a face looking back at me. I let out a fairly loud expletive and grabbed for the door handle to pull it shut when it registered in my brain, that's a raccoon!

Of course, the sound of my voice and movement started the little critter and it vanished behind the closing door. The wind was blowing just enough to make the door shut with a loud bang. I stepped up to the door, opened it just enough to look out, and there, perched on top of the light was a big raccoon peeking back at me. Then it jumped and vanished into the darkness.

I was up for a while after my late night visit waiting for my heart to slow down and for sleep to return. I still don't know how the rascal got up there or how it reached down to unlatch the door. I'm thinking tonight, I'll hang a sign, "No Raccoons!"