A very short story |
I had been awakened last night more times than I could count. By unintelligible yelling, and loud banging and thumping coming from the house across the alley directly behind ours. This is becoming a frequent event. Around 6:30 I heard a very clear “get the fuck off my mom’s lawn!” Well, I thought, time to get up. I sat up in bed and looked out the window. I leave the blinds open a bit on the bottom to let in the cool, summer, night air. The screens keep the bugs out but the noise still comes in. I can only see half the neighbours yard because of the huge aspen beside the garage. I hear screaming. Male, primal, animalistic, pure rage screaming. Then he comes into view. He is missing a sleeve of his t-shirt which looks old and stretched out. He is stomping around this direction, that direction, back the other way. He is kicking the toys that are always scattered in the yard. I get why the next door neighbour has a fifteen foot high fence. He then turns his tantrum towards the railing of the porch and starts kicking out the boards. That’s it, I’m calling the cops. He has been going all night. I can’t imagine any of those kids got any sleep. I reach over to the nightstand and retrieve my phone, unplugging it from the charger. I make my way downstairs expecting a better view from the kitchen door. I stand there for a moment thinking about all the kids in that house, there are at least three - maybe four or five. The littlest one is only ever in a diaper. I have lived here three months and I have never seen the little one wear clothes. As I watch, his mantra changes. “Come and fuckin' get me!!! Come and get me cops!!” I unlock my phone, thinking, Oh he wants me to call the cops. Then I hear: “Sir, you are under arrest.” “Come and fucking get me!!!” “Sir put your hands behind your back please.” Looks like someone beat me to it. I love how polite the RCMP are. Then the officer comes into view. It’s the good looking one. I don’t know his name but I have seen him around town. What a way to start the day. Later that evening as I exit out the back gate to walk the dog, I see them pull up. I guess she went to pick him up after they released him. They held him for less than twelve hours. He is still in his ripped t-shirt. The kids are playing in the yard. There is a cheerful chorus of “Hi Daddy!” as the two of them disappear into the house he doesn’t even look at the kids, he just shuts the door. |