It was a hot Monday summer morning in August.  At 7:00 am the humidity already hovered in the 90% range when I had to open the door to let out the dog for a pee.

I would normally shut the door and wait for the dog to bark before opening, however on a morning such as this one, with such an extreme indoor/outdoor temperature differential, I wanted her to be able to get back inside at her leisure.

At 7:00 am weekdays I normally make the coffee and start assembling sandwiches for lunches, alone in the kitchen, while family are still sleeping.  On this day – my blissful solitude was rudely interrupted by a vision, out of the corner of my eye, of a streak of flesh as it disappeared out through the open door.  Oh naked NO!

I rushed to the door praying silently that it was just a plump mirage that I saw, caused by my drowsy Monday brain.   But alas it was what I feared most – N was standing in his birthday suit on the driveway!  OMG!  My son is not a small guy.  There is no way that he could be called “inconspicuous”!  “Come inside” I pleaded. But like a smart rabbit he was having none of that.  It was little mom vs big N.

Sometimes you have to weigh your options – FAST!  If I head out the door – he could bolt.  If I stay inside – he could bolt.  Decision!  I instantly scrambled to put myself between N and the street before he had a nanosecond to guess what I would do!

“OK N get inside….”  I put my arms out wide like I learned in survival class to make myself look bigger.  N looked at me, then looked at the street which beckoned to him, for some unknown reason, on this morning before he got dressed.  He just stood there – he stood there long enough that I became conscious of the rise of embarrassment over my face.  I could feel it:  somebody is looking right now and thinking “who should I call”?

N made a distressed sound “eh-eh”, to tell me I was just the biggest pain in the butt he ever met.  Then as quickly as he came out, he turned and went inside.  I fanned my sweating face and drew a big breath of relief.  I had visions of chasing him down the street – him, in the buff, and me, in my jailbird PJs.   Could have really ended badly for both of us.

We have 2 sets of locks on both doors. Needless to say, I fastened them both after this awakening.  There is no – “thats all folks” it would seem.  We learn to handle what life throws at us, lesson by lesson.