The Phone Call ...

I live by the old adage “No news is good news.” 

Leaving a handicapped husband behind results in spending as much time preparing him for my absence as I do packing for myself. But I have done these short trips with no problems.  Except I guess my mind is always “on the ready” to respond, to anticipate, to assume the worst while I am gone ‘cause that is what my mind did on this occasion!

Important to the following story is this face. Remember this face! 

My cousin and I were on a short shopping trip to purchase some seafood just outside of town. As we traveled down Ocean Highway, I enjoyed the opportunity to see older housing structures from Ocean City’s early years. The original buildings of the 30s, 40s and 50s located near the original point of the town were more “old-time beachy,” painted in typical light colors, older, only one for two stories high, more weathered from years of use and storms.  I pondered about the history those old buildings could tell! In my youth during the 60s, Ocean City was just a summer beach town and a destination for students Spring Break adventures and family summer trips.  Why I remember a time ....

And then my cell phone rang dragging me out of my head and into the present!

I glanced at the screen and was surprised to see my downstairs neighbor’s name.  In lightening speed the scenery was forgotten and my mind went to all the reasons (bad ones) that she could be calling me while I was out of town!  Topping the list of reasons was my husband and that something had happened to him. I could feel my heart rate start to climb. 

I answered!

She said hi - just like that. “Hi!” ... like there was no emergency, just a friendly neighborly call.  Confusion peppered my brain.  I was thinking ...  Seriously?  I am out of town, and you are calling to say “hi?"   It was like she was speaking in Greek and I was listening in Spanish!  All that in one little word ... “hi.” 

And then she said ... “I think I have one of your window screens. Found it on the sidewalk.”

While I did my best to put “window screen” and “husband” in the same sentence meaningfully, she went on. “Yes, I am outside now looking up, and I can see it is missing from your  window.  Should I bring it up to you?”

Ahhhh ... ok, window screens ... my heart rate began to slow. 

   #1 She did not know I was out of town. 

   #2 She isn’t calling about my husband. 

   #3 How the heck did my window screen spontaneously fall from my window?  

Although my mouth was still bone dry at this point, my tongue was working again.  After letting her know I was out of town, she agreed to keep the screen at her condo till I returned.  I think I managed to end that call without letting on how fracture my brain-tongue connection was.

I hung up and immediately called my husband.  He picked up - sounding like everything was fine too!  Of course, he had no idea a screen was missing, so he really was fine!  We spent the next 15 minutes ... him opening and closing windows, and checking for the screens - and once he identified the one that was missing, he shut that window so the bugs wouldn’t come in and Aja wouldn’t fall out! 

And Aja.  My mind had already jumped to the cause and the culprit! 

The story behind the story!

A few months ago, I discovered what I thought was a defect in a new window screen.  The screen company replaced it - because it wasn’t even one year old.  That screen had a slit near the bottom edge of the frame.  No biggie.  It was apparent to me that the slit was a manufacturing defect.  The screen company honored their guarantee.  All was good.  But with this second episode - the “screen-jumping” episode,  I began to put 2 and 2 together.  One damaged screen, one screen leaping off the second floor spontaneously ... and birds ... lots and lots of neighborhood birds, and some who like to play chicken with my cat - birds with an obvious death wish!  

It is cool-ish outside now.  Our windows are mostly closed.  

Yes, that is a mini-screen in front of the window screen - clamped in place
by the window above.

The windows that are open, now have a protective window screen shield. No other window screens have been forced into taking that leap to the ground since the use of these mini-screens.  

So what do you think?  

Not naming any names, of course, and I have witnessed nothing. But the evidence is piling up. Do you think this charming little face - is hiding “killer intent” that no thin screen material will keep her from achieving her goal? 

DEATH TO ALL BIRDS!!

 😍

Well, she is a cat, after all, and cats are only partly domesticated.  And she is female which is the “business end” of her species and designed for hunting down prey to feed kittens.   And finally, she is a hunter as evidenced by her stalking of flying insects who might have accidentally stumbled into HER condo (through an open screen I might add) and sadly became an amusement as well as an appetizer for her.  Those birds were just too much for her!  Thank God she didn’t fall from the open window.

Now in addition to my own prep for travel and my husband’s needs, I have added Aja to my travel check list! 

Assess cat related hazards.   (check ☑️ ) 🐈

Next up: A Sunrise Reserved for One