Things that go bump in the night

and the day, we’re not prejudiced here.

You know when you watch a scary movie and the one person who is trying to let people know that this shit is haunted and we all need to leave get’s softly called crazy?  Well, I feel like that one person, and you all are going to think I’m loosing it over here in Germany.  I’m a little surprised at myself for even wanting to write about this, but here goes…

Cody is gone and strange things have been happening in my house.  Well mostly strange sounds, and only one actual strange event.  It started with a knock at the door last week.  Not a knock like someone would do when they come to visit, but more like a really happy, tail wagging dog was on my porch and got a little close to my door.  It was loud enough to make me look up, but I figured it was just another creek in this slowly aging house.  After all, the floors creak and the pipes bang when ever a toilet is flushed.  So I went back to what ever it was I was doing. Moments later it happened again, louder and more sudden, enough so that I jumped.  I went to the curtain to look out side but hesitated… what if there was something truly awful staring back at me?  I shook the silly thought out of my head and pulled the curtain back.

Nothing.

No dog. No cat.  No stick being tossed in the wind, because there was no wind around to toss anything.  But the sound HAD come from the door twice, no mistake about that.
So at this point I’m a little creeped out, but as a friend wisely said the other day “All these crazy noises our houses make probably happen all the time, we just don’t give a shit about them when our men are home with us.”  And that makes sense.  When Cody’s home, he likes to watch TV so it’s usually on.  When he’s not here I rarely have it on.  It passes and becomes a silly joke of sorts.

A few nights ago, I’m sitting at the dining room table playing my obsession, The Sims 3, when in the room directly above me someone jumps.  At least that’s what it sounded like.  It was a very loud, very sudden thud.  As if something heavy fell.  I never went up and checked.  It was too dark, I was too freaked out, and CFC bulbs just take to damn long to get bright enough to scare the baddies away!

But all this stuff only happens at night, so during the day I’m fine and my imagination can’t run away with me, that is until yesterday morning.  I woke up and started getting ready to go babysit.  I’m brushing my teeth and the water is warm and it’s not getting cold.  Hot ass water is poring out of my bathroom faucet at seven in the morning when it hasn't been used since the previous morning.  Why would there be hot water in the pipes?  I turned the lever the other way thinking maybe I had been confused about which way was cold.  Still hot.  I go to the other completely unused bathroom and try that faucet and the water is still hot.  My toothbrush is dangling out of my mouth and toothpaste foam is dripping down my chin while I’m trying to make the water cold, all the while wondering WHY would this happen?  I need sound logical reasons so I don’t feel like I’m going crazy!  I went back into my bathroom, and tried the bathtub faucet.  It was hot also but then FINALLY came some cold water.  I finished brushing my teeth over the tub and checked both of the bathroom faucets again.  Cold as cold could be.

As I’m writing this I’m still wondering how hot water could be in the pipes like that, after over 12 hours of hot water not being used.  Scott Jessee, if you are reading this PLEASE  tell me there is some sound plumbing logic behind this!  So my mind is now running rampant with boogie men and demons and my eyes keep seeing shadows shift and I tell my self everything is fine, I've just worked myself up.  So I find something to occupy my mind and make me forget about the baddies.  But eventually I have to go upstairs and go to bed, and last night I almost didn't.

I seriously contemplated just sleeping on the sofa, before I plucked up my courage, called my self a “big baby” out loud, and marched up stairs, but I couldn't keep my eyes form drifting into the dark room that the loud thud had come from; all the terror I remember feeling as a child crept into my throat and I quickly darted into my bedroom and closed the door behind me!  I made sure the curtains were drawn, and the doors were shut tight before I crawled into bed and, like a kid again, relished the magic covers that somehow protect me from harm.
Even as I write this the house is creaking and banging all around me, but these are the sounds I’m used to; the sound of the mortars going off in the distance, that rattle the walls, the children next door who’s steps I can hear as they run and play, the ever constant banging of pipes in the walls, the sudden gentle hiss of my automatic air freshener. And come night fall, all this will have my overly imaginative side quivering, while my grown, logical side chastises me into order.

JEEZE, I can’t WAIT until Cody gets back home!