I remember sitting on the floor in the hallway with my sister, Marie, laughing hysterically. We held steak knives we had snatched from the kitchen drawer after hearing someone tinkering at the side-door of the house. It was late at night and we were the only ones at home. We were immersed in fear, yet we laughed. I suppose it was nervous giggles, or perhaps we lost our sanity for a few moments.
Neither of us said a word, but continued to laugh … and wait. I imagined a burglar breaking in and seeing us sitting there, shrieking uncontrollably and blindly wielding knives through our unexplainable fit of madness. I relayed my vision to Marie, causing her to completely lose any remaining self-control.
My sister crawled to the hall-stand, grabbed the telephone receiver and called her husband, Rick.
“Someone is trying to break in. Can you come home?” she whispered between giggles.
“Is this some kind of sick joke?” he asked.
“No. I don’t know why I’m laughing. I’m scared to death. I swear; someone is trying to break in.” Her voice became shaky and she began to sob. “Please, come home.”
Thankfully, Rick worked only a few blocks away. Within minutes we heard the loud rumble of his motorcycle. We rushed to the kitchen window and watched as he sped through the neighbors’ front yards.
“Where is he going?” I yelled to no one in particular.
“Oh my gosh, Sis; he is chasing someone!”
A few minutes later, Rick returned home. We flung the door open and rushed to greet him.
“Did you catch him?” Marie asked.
“No, he climbed a fence and I lost him.” Rick paused and quizzically wrinkled his brow. “What did you plan on doing with that?” He pointed to the weapon I held in my hand.
“Oh my gosh, Nic!” Marie squealed. “You grabbed a butter knife!”
Our laughter continued through the night. There’s no use trying to rationalize why we howled like hyenas. We were just consumed with madness; it’s the only explanation.
The events of that night have amused us for nearly thirty years. We still marvel at how hard we laughed in the face of danger.
Neither of us said a word, but continued to laugh … and wait. I imagined a burglar breaking in and seeing us sitting there, shrieking uncontrollably and blindly wielding knives through our unexplainable fit of madness. I relayed my vision to Marie, causing her to completely lose any remaining self-control.
My sister crawled to the hall-stand, grabbed the telephone receiver and called her husband, Rick.
“Someone is trying to break in. Can you come home?” she whispered between giggles.
“Is this some kind of sick joke?” he asked.
“No. I don’t know why I’m laughing. I’m scared to death. I swear; someone is trying to break in.” Her voice became shaky and she began to sob. “Please, come home.”
Thankfully, Rick worked only a few blocks away. Within minutes we heard the loud rumble of his motorcycle. We rushed to the kitchen window and watched as he sped through the neighbors’ front yards.
“Where is he going?” I yelled to no one in particular.
“Oh my gosh, Sis; he is chasing someone!”
A few minutes later, Rick returned home. We flung the door open and rushed to greet him.
“Did you catch him?” Marie asked.
“No, he climbed a fence and I lost him.” Rick paused and quizzically wrinkled his brow. “What did you plan on doing with that?” He pointed to the weapon I held in my hand.
“Oh my gosh, Nic!” Marie squealed. “You grabbed a butter knife!”
Our laughter continued through the night. There’s no use trying to rationalize why we howled like hyenas. We were just consumed with madness; it’s the only explanation.
The events of that night have amused us for nearly thirty years. We still marvel at how hard we laughed in the face of danger.
Mwahahaha!
ReplyDeleteGood Gracious, I thought for sure the prowler was going to be imagination in overdrive!
Now when I tell people about my friend Nic, I can honestly say she laughs in the face of danger and wields a mean butter knife, lol.
Glad you two came away unscathed and laughter intact from such a potentially bad situation.
Thanks for starting my day off with a giggle.
Hugs
Rain