May 14, 2010

A bit of excitement:
Yesterday when I got off work I came home and went into my office and immediately started working on my schooling. As I was typing away I heard a lot of commotion in the front room. All three dogs were barking and three of my children were audibly upset. I went out to investigate the uproar and found out there was a toothless man standing at my front door (there are actually quite a few toothless people here in Tennessee). He asked if I would open the door to talk. For safety reasons I chose not to open the door to him. With dogs still barking I tried to communicate with him through the door. He said he was homeless and could he mow my lawn for money. I said no thank you; I have teenagers that do the chores. He left and we prayed that he wouldn’t come back.
All this excitement reminded me of a time fourteen years ago, when I lived in San Jose, California, we experienced a similar situation. One day, with a 9 month old child on my hip, I made my way to the front door to lock it. I generally keep my doors locked when I am inside with my children. I guess I do not like surprises. Well, as I turned the corner to lock the door, there on my porch stood a crazy looking man with a chainsaw in his hands. Visions of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” entered my mind (even though I never saw the movie). I asked him if he needed help and he asked if he could saw the logs in my side yard for me for some money. I quickly gave him five dollars and then locked the door. I would like to suggest to anyone reading this that if a crazy man comes to your door asking for money don’t give it to him, especially if he is brandishing a chainsaw!
He proceeded to flail his chainsaw while cutting wood on the cement, both of which are dangerous ways of operate a chainsaw. When he tired of cutting wood he removed a machete from his truck and started to edge my lawn. A crazy man with a chainsaw and machete is a bad combination.
I called my next door neighbor Bill and asked if he would please come and talk to the man and get rid of him. Bill came out and it took 45 minutes of deliberation for the man to finally leave. This was the first time I prayed that a scary man would never return to our house.
At least the man at our door yesterday approached our house weaponless.