Belted by Solar Rays- Part One

Tuesday. The plan was to spend a couple two or three hours sifting and sorting through things at my childhood home. On the 45 minute drive, I thought of the area I would attack, what to keep, what to toss. After 68 years of marriage, I can't believe the amount of sh...stuff my parents have accumulated.

As I pulled into the driveway, my cousin called. The call ate into my schedule, but it was nice to have an ear to whine to. She didn't judge me for what I did, what I'm doing. She understands because she went through it.

Phone call done, I climbed the front steps and made a mental note of the yard cleanup that will need to be done to give the poor old place some curb appeal. Inserted key in the lock and turned the key to the right. Nothing.Turned it to the left. Nothing. What the? Pulled the door. Pushed the door. Turned the key. Nothing.

I thought I could go through the garage to the little porch and into the kitchen. The door to the porch is flimsy. I was pretty sure I could break in. I've easily gotten through the back door before. Himself showed me when I was a kid and forgot or lost my front door key. Only the door from the garage had been unlocked.

The garage door was heavy to lift. Heavier than I expected, and it wouldn't stay up. The coil was broken.I had raised the door to my chest, but couldn't lift it with enough force to heave it up over the curved portion of the track. Bracing the door with my shoulder and elbow, I managed to grab a pitchfork that was in the corner. I used this to prop the door open. It seemed to hold steady so I ducked low under the door being careful not to touch the pitchfork or brush my back along the bottom of the garage door. I'd seen enough Supernatural episodes to know the house was haunted and out to get me. One false move and the garage door would come crashing down decapitating me. I know. Not bright, but I was desperate.

The door leading to the porch was a lot sturdier than it looked. I found a garden tool, but wasn't able to get the deadbolt to budge.

Make my way to the front door. (Very carefully!) The mail truck slowed in front of the house. The mailman hasn't delivered mail to the house since July as I had my parents' mail transferred to a PO box at my local post office. I was sure the mailman would call the police. The neighborhood was quiet. No one was home. No one to identify me. I only hoped that Sgt. S would be on duty. He had picked Dad up a number of times in the dead of night as Dad was wandering around town. I had many, many conversations with Sgt. S. Tried the key again. Nothing. I rattled the door latch.

 I ran around to the patio. Maybe the bulkhead was open. No such luck. On the other hand no sirens. Back to the garage. I braced the door, moved the pitch fork within easy reach in case it was needed again, and slowly lowered the garage door.

One more time at the front door. I passed through frustration, anger, and then rage. The eff word was echoing around my brain. I clenched my teeth to keep the word from bursting out my mouth in a sonic boom. Wasted trip. Wasted day. I wanted to rip the storm door from its hinges. I wanted to crash through the front door leaving a Hulk-shaped hole.

The mail truck rolled slowly past. I jangled my keys in a great show of I belong here. I took my phone out of my pocket. I hoped the grimace on my face looked like a smile. I looked at the calender hoping beyond hope Himself had an office hour scheduled. He was teaching at the community college the next town over. Only 20 minutes away. He had an office hour schedule, but at 2 pm. I didn't feel like waiting three hours. I called his office and left a very reserved message about my predicament and ended the call with "I'm not happy." I left the same message on his cellphone voice mail, and for good measure, I sent an email. The Professor doesn't always check his voice mail.

I was still seething as I took the 45 minuted drive home. I wanted to scream the eff word so the echo would reverberate through space for millenia.

I heard on the evening news, there had been a huge solar eruption, the largest in several years. CJ Kennedy belted by solar rays, turns in to the Hulk. It was a good explanation. I'm calm now. All the animals have gone back into the forest.

Later, that evening, Himself told me how my chain of events effected him.

To be continued....