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Blogs by Sue Hess
Thursday 3/8/2007 12:51:15 PM
Contrary to my earlier blog, I am not a timid person...
Like any sensible woman living alone, I keep my doors locked and watch carefully when walking in parking lots. I never give out my address or phone number on line and I have my key out before I reach my car. But timid, scared of my own shadow...no that just isn't me. I live in a building with mostly elderly people who have been there for years, I'm almost a youngster compared to my neighbors. My laundry facilities are in the basement and I run up and down the stairs, doing laundry at all hours, never feeling uncomfortable. In other words, I feel very safe at home. Last night, between Jericho and Criminal Minds, I ran down to throw a load of clothes into the washer and as I was doing that, I noticed the lights were off on the end of the basement where the machine is. This didn't bother me at first, I just went on about my business. Suddenly the hair stood up on my arms and I was as frightened as I can remember ever being. I don't know why. I looked around. It was darker than usual but nothing threatening. I couldn't see behind the furnace but I didn't hear anything or see anything unusual. But I was so scared, I hurried up the stairs, feeling like my back was exposed the whole way up the short flight of stairs. I wasn't completely comfortable till I was back in my living room with the door locked. Do I really believe now that there was a reason to be scared? No not really. I'm sure it was a freak thing, my mind playing tricks on me. But am I sorry I hurried upstairs? No not at all. When you suddenly become frightened for no reason, what harm is there in being careful. I didn't drop my clothes in the floor and run screaming for help...but I am not embarassed to be frightened.
One year my sister and I were visiting Eureka Springs Arkansas and we were walking in the downtown area at dark when we found a pleasant little park with a flight of stairs running up one side. Being naturally curious we started up the stairs where there seemed to be a path deeper into a wooded area. We felt perfectly safe starting up those stairs. Suddenly about halfway up, we both got very uncomfortable and frightened, much like I did last night and without any discussion, we turned around and hurried back down the stairs. Was there something at the top of the stairs in the dark? Maybe not, but you will never convince Mary and I that we should have continued up those stairs. We travel alot and we always listen to our instincts. If we pull up to a motel and feel uncomfortable with it, we find another. It isn't like we live a life of superstition and paranoia, but if you have an instinct, maybe the best thing to do is follow it. You will probably never know if you were right, but isn't that better than knowing for sure you were and didn't act?
