Editor's Notebook

 

December 31, 2020



Late Sunday a friend shared on social media an experience she had earlier that evening.

Her dog was incessantly barking and keeping the household awake. On a bright moonlight night, she got up and went, while dressed in her pj’s and house slippers, to see what was disturbing the dog. She was exploring the nearby creek area when she found the dog. The little dog was barking at a dozen or so llamas lined up on the other side of a fence. The llamas were staring at the little dog and the “old lady” prowling in the dark and perhaps wondering why all the excitement.

Her story reminded me of experiences I’ve had with dogs.

It was late one Christmas eve and Rita and I were visiting her folks. It was past time for bed but her father was concerned about a cattle waterer that had been giving trouble. He wanted it checked yet that night so Rita and I said we would take his big light and go make sure it wasn’t running over.


It was located in the north lot so we had to walk around the house, past the scale house, shop and grain bins before turning sharply to the right and gingerly stepping across a cattle guard. While crossing the cattle guard, we had to make sure not to let our feet slip between the grates. Not wanting to cause undue excitement, we moved slowly through the pen of cattle. The animals moved back into the darkness but we could feel their eyes focused upon us.

We were relieved to find the waterer was working properly and we purposely moved slowly to retrace our steps. The dog, not known for her bravery, was staying close by. Then she stopped, her attention focused on the southeast corner of the pen and began a menacing growl. Rita and I stopped and shown the light in the direction the dog was looking.


On an earlier visit we saw a mountain lion while leaving the farm and heading back to Superior. Rita also recalled the time she saw coyotes playing on top a row of bales place in a line along the east side of the lot.

We were relieved to discover the dog was alarmed by a tumbling tumble weed.

If cattle can laugh, I suspect those we shared the lot with had a good laugh at our expense.

One night, while in grade school, I had been left alone in the house on Blauvelt’s Hill. I was looking forward to my parents returning when my dog grew nervous and began to bark. I didn’t turn on any lights but I looked out the window to see if I could see what was disturbing her.


I saw what looked like the glow of a burning cigarette. I was certain a man was standing in the front yard, casing the house and preparing to break in. He hadn’t knocked on the door and I couldn’t see a vehicle.

I went to the closet, got my ball bat and hid under the kitchen table until my parents returned.

The intruder never knocked on the door and the next day I could find nothing disturbed. But after the station closed and the day grew dark, he was back.

That night with my dad serving as backup and reinforcing my courage, I discovered what had caused me to see a man standing in the front yard smoking a cigarette. It was the reflection from a vehicle mirror Dad had for sale and put on display in the station’s store.


A few nights ago, I was especially late returning home from work at the newspaper office. As I rode my bicycle toward home, I saw Rita switch off the living room lights. At that instant, I knew I had missed bedtime and would be in trouble when I reached home.

That was true, I was in trouble for staying at work past bedtime. Rita said she was about ready to send the sheriff after me. She was sure I didn’t see her turn out the living room light for that had happened perhaps a half hour before I headed home.

In the nights that followed, I was more observant as I tried to solve the mystery. Instead of seeing her turn off the lights, I discovered I was seeing a reflection of the City Auditorium lights. Each night when I reach the same spot in my journey, the lights in the window go off just like someone had flipped a switch. The reflection is not so noticeable on nights when Rita has her living room light on.


Kansas Public Notices

I’ve had other surprises while leaving work late at night.

It was about 11:30 on a mid-December night and I was riding my bicycle home from work. As I approached the intersection of Fourth and Commercial streets, I heard a crash and what sounded like a bowling ball rolling on the street.

I was immediately concerned. It appeared I was the only one out and about who willing to be seen. The streets were deserted, Vehicles were not moving on the highway at that time. I looked west toward the Sisco store, thinking a thief may have been trying to break in and steal electronics. It looked to be okay and I continued on toward home.


I was riding on the sidewalk past the post office, looking toward the west still wanting to locate the source of the sound. I hadn’t seen a person or animal moving.

Near the stop sign east of the restaurant, I saw what appeared to be a body laying on the sidewalk. I turned onto the post office driveway and pedaled toward the object. My heart was thumping. I struggled with the urge to flee.

But what if someone needed my help?

As I approached the stop sign, the mystery was solved. One of the tree-type plants that had been standing on the sidewalk outside of restaurant had fallen over. The body was nothing more than the plant. The bowling ball I heard rolling down the street was the pottery pot the tree had been standing in.

I don’t know what upset the plant. It was a calm night with no wind. Perhaps one of the cats I often see late at night in downtown Superior had upset the tree. I don’t think it was the work of a vandal or thief.

My heart returned to a more normal rhythm, I took a few deep breaths and continued on toward home.

Once we know we aren’t encountering mountain lions, skunks or bad guys we can laugh and enjoy telling about the time our imagination ran away with us.

 

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