Every Day Life: Time Change

By Lara

Anyone who knows me knows that I abhor time change. I would be perfectly content to live my life within the normal parameters of Eastern Standard Time regardless of the change of seasons. I have no need for it to be light out until 9 PM in June. While I was sitting at my desk today enduring the longest Monday on record in the history of the world, I started to think about the strange occurrences that tend to follow me around that thwart my best efforts to prepare myself for the shock to my bio-rhythmic system.

Last year during time change, I tried to go to sleep early to take full advantage of my extra hour. Part of my problem with time change is my love of sleep. I intended to maximize the time that I could be snuggled under the covers with my cat. I'm sure that I was asleep by 9:45. It was cozy and warm.

Unfortunately, I was awakened by a loud pounding on my door. I glanced over at my cat. He looked scared, which freaked me out. I pulled the covers over my head and hoped that the person knocking would give up and leave. As my childhood defense against nightmares and the monsters that I was sure lived in my closet, covers over head was an effective strategy. Five... Four... Three... Two... Sigh. No such luck. More knocking and much louder this time.

I walked over to my bedroom window and opened it. There were three men outside glaring up at me. One of them told me to come downstairs and open the door. He said that they were the police. Keep in mind that I didn't have my glasses on, so I didn't realize that they were the police at first glance.

I put on my glasses and bathrobe and went downstairs. I peeked through the peek hole. The policeman looked legit, but I was still apprehensive. I have read way too many true crime stories. I cracked opened the door to had the following conversation:

“Hello, ma'am. We're responding to a call."

"Ok."

"Are you by yourself in there?"

"Yes."

"Can you crack the door? I can't hear your replies."

[I reluctantly cracked the screen door.]

"We're responding to a call about screaming coming from this address. Do you know anything about that?"

"No."

"You haven't been screaming?"

"No."

"Have you heard anyone else screaming?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"What have you been doing?"

"Quite honestly, your knocking woke me out of a dead sleep."

"And you're definitely alone in there?"

"Yes."

"Oh. They may have had the wrong address. Do you think it could be one of your neighbors?"

"It might be, but I can guarantee that it wasn't me."

"Ok. Sorry to bother you, ma'am."

I closed and relocked the door. From the kitchen window, I watched the officers return to their car. I made sure that the ground floor windows were locked. I rechecked the front door and its deadbolt. I glanced at the back door to make sure it was bolted as well.

My brave cat stayed upstairs the whole time cowering under the bed.

Needless to say, I had a hard time going back to sleep. I jumped every time I heard the slightest noise. The last time the police came to my house in the middle of the night was in high school when one of my dad's students made a false noise complaint. In spite of my best plans to the contrary, time change once again got the better of me.

Lara works for the Department of Defense. She would tell you more, but then she'd have to hunt you down and, well, you know... She enjoys spending time with friends, building sand castles on the beach in winter and going on international adventures. Lara and Beth M. were the brains behind our fun series on the Year of the Birthday. We are thankful they have decided to continue the fun with the Bucket List and Every Day Life.