Noises in the Night

At a recent Sunday dinner with only our immediate family present, Shane recounted an incident that had happened a number of months ago. Although all of our boys were involved, and it all happened right here at home, none of them thought to mention it at the time it took place.

Shane got a phone call at 1:30 A.M. from Grant, who was calling from his bedroom upstairs where he had been studying late in his room when he heard a vehicle revving its engine in the driveway. Shane wasn't too delighted with having been disturbed, but he dutifully roused himself enough to find his shotgun and creep outside to check things out. (I can't believe he was so non-nonresistant.) While slinking around outside, he came upon Grant, who was armed with a pistol (I know. I was disappointed too.). They were conferring quietly when Joel showed up, bearing one of the Japanese swords he keeps on a display rack in his room. (Still no nonresistance in evidence.) They soon determined that there was no stray vehicle in the driveway, so they all quietly slunk back to their room and bed. And they didn't tell their parents.

Here's a warning to anyone has ever contemplated revving their engine in our driveway at 1:30 A.M. Don't. Call ahead. Bang on the door. Call our names. Whatever. Just don't call forth any defensive mechanisms in our boys' psyche. They're dangerous.

We'll keep working on the nonresistance instruction.