Mack the Knife

         Millicent reached down and pulled the vacuum cleaner's cord from the hallway electrical outlet. She surveyed the stretch of carpeting and smiled. No more footprints.

         If only I could levitate from room to room. My knees would like that.

         A thump from her front door echoed and the sudden noise caused her to startle.

         Who could that be? I'm not expecting anyone and besides I just smoothed the carpet. Oh, it looks like it did when it was new. I couldn't possibly answer the door. If I stand right here they whomever they are will go away.

         Wham! Blam! Wham!

         Millicent found herself holding her breath. The tension spread between her shoulder blades.

         Are they rattling the door knob? C'mon. Enough. Just go away. Leave already. Clearly I do not wish to answer the door.

         Clunk! Smack! Rat-a-tat!

         What is your problem? Why are you hitting the window pane? I'm glad the doorbell is broken. Imagine that non-stop bong, bong. Perhaps I should sneak a wee peek out the front room window.

         Millicent dropped the machine's cord and drew in a deep breath. Sticking close to the walls she slunk along with slow steps. Of course she realized the soft carpeting would muffle her footsteps , but she felt she needed to hide her presence. Anybody who would pound on a door like this must be an angry sort. It couldn't hurt to exercise some caution.

         At the full length drapes she barely parted the heavy material. Her eyes met those of a masked man brandishing a knife. Millicent shrieked.

         "I know you're in there. I just saw you. Open the door."

         Oh my goodness! Who is that? What does he want with me? I am most certainly not opening my door. He's waving a knife around. Don't bandits disguise their faces with masks? Okay, thieves then. Is he a ne'er do well? Where did that come from? Thanks Maman.

         "C'mon! Let me in! What are you waiting for? I'm not gettin' any younger out here."

         Think Millicent, think. The good Lord blessed you with brains. Use them . What should any and every senior do in this uncomfortable situation?

         Striding back to her kitchen, Millicent snatched the phone receiver off its hook and struggled to tame the tremor in her dialing hand. It seemed like the longest phone number she had ever attempted to dial. Three numbers took forever to connect.

         "911. What's your emergency?"

         Millicent whispered, "There's a strange man at my door."

         "Hello? Could you speak up, ma'am?"

         With an effort and a conscious unclenching of her jaw, she stammered, "There's a menacing man at my front door with a knife. Please send help. I'm all alone here."

         "I'm dispatching some officers. Do you recognize him and oh, stay inside."

         Millicent vibrated and spluttered. "Of course I'll stay inside. I'm not crazy. No, I told you. He's a stranger."

Within minutes that seemed like forever, Millicent heard sirens whoop, whoop. Quaking she once again crept to her livingroom window to see red and blue flashing lights. In their glow a man lay handcuffed on her front lawn kicking and muttering.

         To this new set of knocking she swung the door open.

         "Hello ma'am. This man says he knows you. Will you come take a closer look at him. Don't worry, we wrestled the knife away from him."

         With the uniformed officer guiding her by the elbow, Millicent shuffled up to the prone figure. His mask had been ripped from his face and she gasped.

         "That's Mack. Mack, my neighbour. Was he the one with the knife?"

         Mack howled. " I only came over to cut the rhubarb you promised me. The wife thought you'd like a pie, too."

         "That doesn't explain the mask, sir."

         "I've been exposed to Covid. I didn't think Millicent here wanted the germs. I was being cautious."

         The stern-faced policeman replied, "As we all were, sir."          (650 words) (Mirror, Mirror Prompt # 9)