Are You Afraid Of The Dark?

I'm 41 years old young.....well past the being afraid of the dark stage.  Well.......okay. Maybe, most of the time.  At least that is what I'm telling you.

When I leave to do my walking at 5:30 am ,with my neighbor, it is pitch black outside unless there happens to be a full moon.  It makes me appreciate the light all the more. That is for sure.  Each morning when I'm getting my sweatpants pulled on and grabbing my jacket and trying to put my tennis shoes on, with out turning on the bedroom light....I will refrain from telling you how many times I've stubbed my toes, or tripped over junk on the floor. Because I am such a loving and kind wife and do not wish to disturb my husband's sleep I suffer in the dark. I will work on gaining his sympathies for my plight later.

I tip toe through the house, which during the day seems warm and inviting....but at night in the dark, the furniture takes on a sinister, dark look. I swear the dining room chair scoots out just to trip me up!  It doesn't help that we have a black cat that enjoys freely roaming around at night, which includes the early morning hours.  Cat's eyes glow in the dark. This can be a little unnerving to a woman who is already lacking in sleep and at 5:30 still has the "fuzzy brain" thing going on.  ("Did I just see green eyes staring at me from a perch on the living room sofa?"  I HOPE that was the cat......")

After manuevering my way through the obstacles of a dark house, I emerge through the garage door. I only have a few steps to the van. I'm to meet my friend for our daily walk. It is dark. It is quiet out here in the country. In the middle of nowhere. No street lights. It is black.  WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!   AGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!  Heart pounding. I about peed my pants.  I'm sure that the monsters that live in the dark have come for me. I turn around.  Ace, the collie has slipped his collar and is enjoying his new found freedom.  When I've regained my composure I berate Ace for scaring me senseless. He takes it all in stride and precedes to try and lick me to death. What a way to go.

I get in the van and make it to the neighbor's in one piece.  Barely....and covered in dog slobber.

My friend and I have discussed that if anything ever tried to get us while we were walking we would run. We'd run like the wind. Now I might no longer be a spring chicken, but if I think something in the dark wants to eat me I can move it.  This morning I heard a swish, swish, swish in the cornfield to my right....just a few feet away. ( JAWS theme music would be appropriate here) It was coming.......Oh, Lord! There is was!  Wait a minute. It's not very big at all. As a matter of fact it is teeny tiny. It's purr does not sound fierce.  Yep, just a farm cat wanting to give us some company.  We are safe......for now.