The man in the bedroom

It was a hot and steamy summer night in the south, windows open and fan noisily turned on, going full blast in the bedroom. We had 2 teenagers and they came and went and refused to keep a key with them, or the key is lost or ??? They don’t lock doors, lots of issues with them but…the house was not locked. Neither teenager was home that night.

We lived in a split level home -- not much crime in that neighborhood. One can enter the house from the driveway through the back door into the garage, past the furnace, walk around the accumulated junk, past the car, 2 cats and one dog, the catbox, the dog bed, pet food dishes, laundry baskets, through the door into the house, turn, up one set of stairs, turn, up another set of stairs, to the hallway. Got it? Not the easiest place to maneuver if you don’t live there. No lights were on.

We’re sleeping and I vaguely hear/see someone walking in the hallway toward our bedroom in the dark. - I am closest to the hallway. He had very white tennis shoes on – that’s all I could see. I knew it was NOT my son as his shoes were always yucky. This man/person turns into OUR darkened bedroom, and plops down on the floor next to my side of the bed, and prepares to sleep in front of the noisy fan.

I was stunned -- what does one do? I distinctly remember sitting up, with my mouth open. First, I woke husband up, who couldn’t understand what I was saying because the fan was making so much noise, and from his side of the bed, he didn’t see anything on the floor in the darkened room on MY side. I checked under the sheet to see what husband was wearing – uhhh nothing. I checked under the sheet to see what I was wearing – oh lucky me -- I was wearing SOMETHING, not much but -- Looks like it was MY responsibility to do ??? what????

I turned on the light, and this big goomer, jumps up, and STUPID ME – I extended my handshake and said, “My name is Elaine”. He says, “My name is Mike – your daughter said I could spend the night.” Uhhhhh, I am being polite, introducing myself to an intruder, a possible killer – BECAUSE WOMEN ARE ALWAYS TAUGHT TO BE POLITE FOR GOSH SAKES!!!

Now, quilters, what would have happened if I had a gun under my pillow -- ??? I may have used it on this stupid young man! Or, he might have been a killer walking into my bedroom and used it on us? At this point, the big goomer/kid realized he was in very hot water and left very quickly, navigating the obstacles the same way he came in, apparently. Both husband and I were both stunned, frightened, shocked, and finally relieved we did NOT have a gun at the ready but ????

Teenage daughter denied knowing “Mike” when we next saw her.

We women don’t always have to be polite, ya know. And this also brings up the subject of guns – I still don’t know which way I feel based on THIS incident.