Anxiously Engaged

 It was a quiet morning.

I know you have a hard time believing that, but it’s true. Maybe the statement will carry more merit if I confess that Sally and Mort have been gone since breakfast.

Yeah, I thought so.

Mom has been notably absent as well. Uncle Pete showed up at the crack of dawn and took her off on some adventure or other.

I don’t really worry about them, though. I mean, how much trouble can a mid-forties mother and her ‘recently-returned from Iraq’ beau get into.

Don’t answer that.

I’m beginning to think Peter and I are the only two sane people in this scenario.

Ahem…

Peter was over and had graciously accompanied me on my errands: stopping at the bank, dropping off my donations at the Big Brothers, Big Sisters call center, discussing schedule adherence with the neighbourhood boys who are selectively and collectively in charge of walking our dog, and just generally having a ‘normal’ day.

Okay, we had to sort out a Scary Gary/brother/Mrs. Michaelson dispute when the former decided to set off firecrackers--something that would have been a fairly common-place occurrence if not for the fact that said crackers (Every. Single. One.) headed with unerring accuracy into Mrs. Michaelson’s prize-winning tulips.

Peter finally resorted to taking charge of the situation and marched both of the Townsend boys—and the rest of their firecrackers—to their mother, Mary.

I, meanwhile, tried to sooth Mrs. Michaelson’s ruffled feathers.

And help her patch up her tulip bed.

Anyways, errands run, neighbourhood sorted out, Peter and I had flopped down on the grass in the front yard. Just soaking up the sunshine.

We both heard it at the same time.

A siren.

I looked to the left. Yep. There it was. And getting closer. I sighed and looked at Peter.

He was gazing off to the right. He looked at me, his mouth opened to make a comment.

Then he frowned and tipped his head.

I did the same. Wait. Siren-s?

From both directions?

Uh-oh.

Mort’s rather disreputable Volvo raced in from the right and barely made the turn into our driveway.

From the left, Uncle Pete’s car did the same, pulling in tight behind Mort.

Peter and I rose slowly to our feet.

Just FYI, it’s a good thing to always meet Sally’s shenanigans whilst on one’s feet…

As the passengers hurriedly disembarked, a police car, lights flashing and siren blazing blew in from the right and pulled to the curb out front.

Then another (ditto for lights and siren) from the left.

Mort and Sally and Mom and Uncle Pete raced toward Peter and I.

“We’re engaged!” they all said together.

Oh, my… 

Today’s post is a writing challenge. Participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post—all words to be used at least once. All the posts are unique as each writer has received their own set of words. And here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now.

My words: bank ~ call center ~ schedule adherence ~ dog ~ dispute

Were given to me, via Karen, from my friend, Sarah at https://crazymamallama.blogspot.com/

Now go and see what words the others got—and how they used them!

Baking In A Tornado

The Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver

Climaxed  

Part-time Working Hockey Mom

What TF Sarah