It's a night-time ritual for at least one of the dogs to wake me up anytime between two and four in the morning. The door to the backyard faces a corner of the house and around that corner is a pitch-black area which houses the air conditioning units. It has always made me nervous because it's a "perfect" spot for someone to hide out. Yes, I keep locks on the gates. But, let's face it...people who are up to no good aren't deterred by a locked gate. They break into doors and windows...why in the world wouldn't they climb over a fence!?
It's been making me even more nervous as of late because I can't just let the dogs out. Duke can not go out with out me. His back legs are useless so I have to wrap a towel around his belly to make a type of "sling" to walk him around. I have to leave the door unlocked, obviously, so I can get back in. But it's never far from my thought process (being the Momma Bear I am) that if someone were to venture into my backyard, I would be in a very vulnerable position and more importantly...my kids would be in one. Door unlocked. They're sleeping. You see where a mom's mind goes.
So last night when I opened the door to let Scout out and heard a loud rustling around the corner, about 5-feet away, then a "BAM" into the fence that immediately made the fence start shaking...I flew into the house, locked the door and left poor Scout out there to fend for herself. She, of course, had started barking *loudly* as soon as all this happened. And hadn't stopped as of yet.
I peaked through the blinds and saw nothing. I ran to close the door to the room the kids were sleeping in. I peaked out the window upstairs that looks down on that area of the yard. I still didn't see anything and I'm shaking. But Scout still had not stopped barking. In fact...it had gotten a bit more intense.
Since she hadn't stopped barking and I couldn't see who or what she was barking at, I assumed they were hiding behind the fence. The only place I couldn't see.
And for the first time in my life I called 911.
I explained the situation. No...I hadn't actually seen anyone. Yes...that is my dog outside who is still barking. Yes...she's big. A pointer. Yes, in fact...she is in full point and has now backed up about five feet.
The 911 operator assures me I've done the right thing to call since I can't see anything, have two sleeping children in the house and a dog outside who is STILL barking and not breaking her point. She says an officer is in the area and driving around with his lights off. When his back-up arrives, one will park down the street and the other in the alley. Then they will walk the perimeter. She tells me not to be surprised to see lights shining outside the house.
In the meantime, I go back upstairs to look out the window again hoping whoever it is has moved locations and maybe I can spot them.
I do.
I spot the biggest possum I've ever seen in my life who is perched and frozen on top of the fence. "It's not moving!" I tell the operator.
"And it won't...it's what they do."
"Ahhh...hence the phrase 'playing possum'."
I meet the officers out front and point out where the 'suspect' is. They too are surprised at the size of this thing. We concur maybe it's a momma-to-be. Who knows. They ask if I want them to try and scare it off.
Really? Ummm...no that's okay. I'd like to encounter that thing in my backyard again when I have to take Duke out after all this commotion. YES! Make it go away!
All of this to say, I now have two scheduled trips this weekend: 1) Lowes for a security light to install on that side of the house; and, 2) The gun range.
And another thought enters my mind...that would be a good name for a restaurant: The Fat Possum. I'm just sayin...
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