Things That Go Bump In The Night

After two years living by myself, I have finally learned how to get some sleep alone in my house. Don't think it hasn't been hard.

I still sleep "on my side" of the bed (when I sleep in the bed and not fall asleep on the couch). I still sleep with a fan and the t.v. going so I have "noise to sleep by."  I still get up in the middle of the night when I hear something, flipping light switches as I go.

Last night was no exception.

My blood pressure meds are out of sync, thanks to the pharmacy being out of  my heart pill that controls my angina. They gave me a few days worth to get by until their shipment came in.  I went to bed early (8:30p) with a pounding headache and my heart beating clear out of my chest.

I was awakened at 2:00 a.m., by what I thought was someone breaking into my house! And they are NOT being quiet either.

With my already pounding heart,  up way up in my throat, I stomped down the hall, flipping switches as I went. Someone asked me later, as I related this story, had I had the presence of mind to at least carry the shotgun, which thankfully, I had not.

The table between the couch and love seat was overturned, all it's contents on the floor. Things on the coffee table were also on the floor and several books were knocked off a book shelf by the front door. Things definitely looked amiss.

 About that time my cat, JB, whizzed by me. He looked like SuperCat, not because he was practically climbing the walls, but because he had on a little, blue cape.  I know I was not dreaming that, and though he was circling the living room "full tilt boogie." I  leaned against the door facing, trying to focus, and take it all in. Yes, definitely cape-like. I thought about my glasses, back on my bedside table. I squinted as he made another round.  As my groggy, presbyopic eyes started to focus, was clear to see that he was in the clutches of a blue bag from Wallyworld.

 I know that it had once held various items from the old car that I had stashed under the desk. Obviously, he had gotten curious and started sniffing around it. His head, and what looked to be one front leg poked through the bag handle, and the rest trailed off behind him like a cape. He started to howl as he made another lap around the living room.

I was not awake enough to process this scene, nor could I catch him.  He was obviously terrified, yowling as if he were in pain. He was trying hard to escape from his "tormentor|, that was mysteriously, just as fast as he was. He made two more laps around the living room (one almost knee high on the wall), and shot thru the cat door into the garage.

Now everyone knows that, despite changes around my house, the garage is still full of crap. One thing at a time folks.  JB has a favorite hidey-hole that he retreats to when visitors arrive (except Huck: he will come out and love all over Huck, darn it). It's a cardboard box on the far side of the garage on top of  a mountain of stuff. "Kitty, you know I can't help you over there, if I can't get to you!" I whined. He stared out at me, wild-eyed and yowling. Try as I might, I could not reach him.

Knowing that he would eventually seek me out,  I sat down on the couch to wait. The
"Cleveland Show" was on. I watched, trying to stay awake. About 15 min later, I hear the cat door and he came belly crawling into the living room, the bag still in place.

He headed straight for his favorite chair, but his attempt to hide from his "captor" was thwarted. The unforgiving bag, got caught on the corner and tugged back. Only then did he give up, flopping over on his side. His begging eyes met mine. "Please help me" they seemed to say.

 I picked him up, his little heart was yammering in his chest, and his pupils still wide with fear. I freed him from the bag and he relaxed. I hugged him tight, and told him everything would be okay. The expression on his face was one of pure love and immense grattitude for his human.

 I was so amped up after all the hub-bub, I could not go back to bed. I went to work sleep deprived, cranky, with my chest hurting and a lingering head ache. It was a really long day.

 All for saving "the world" from a sinister walmart bag.....