A Mystery...

I'm always setting myself up to be teased. Not intentionally. I just find myself in the most unusual situations and awkward circumstances... more often than what I'd like to admit. As of late it's over forgetfulness.The last time I was teased was by my youngest daughter. That was yesterday. I can't even think of what we were talking about for the story of the "stolen 4-wheeler" to come up, but I'll forever be teased about it! 

Story of the Stolen 4-Wheeler

A couple of months ago, a customer came to the house to pick peaches from the orchard. I was in the middle of watering plants in the front yard when he pulled up. I stopped what I was doing and hopped on the 4-wheeler and rode down the driveway to the barn, where we got some boxes out from him to put the fruit in. I was only there a few minutes.

I went back to the house and got busy inside. Later that afternoon, I went to youngest daughter's house in No Ogden. I noticed a 4-wheeler in the most unusual position. It was in the orchard, at the bottom of the driveway in the cherry trees. It was facing toward the house. Although I thought it was strange, I didn't think too much at the time. I just thought it was the neighbor's and maybe he came up to check the irrigation pump and left it there for some reason.

It was late when I got back to the house. As I pulled up the driveway I noticed the 4-wheeler still in the cherry trees. I thought again, "how strange". I stopped to look closer and saw that it was my 4-wheeler! Not the neighbors. I started to panic! All kinds of imaginations ran through my mind. Someone surely broke into the house last night while I was sleeping, and took the 4-wheeler out of the garage! Where did they go with it? Did they commit a crime on it? I was so upset I couldn't even think straight. I called youngest daughter back up and we decided I should go back to her house and spend the night... just in case something fishy was going on. I messaged my husband who was far off in Europe. He suggested I contact the local police department and have them monitor the house that night.

I gathered some personal items together and called the police department. No answer! It was the weekend. I decided to just leave and see if I saw a patrolman parked along the highway going into town. Sure enough there was one. It was now dark. I saw him as I passed. I quickly made a U-turn and headed back north. I made another one and drove up behind him. I turned my lights off so I would not blind him. Then I thought, "oh no! He probably has a gun. I'm going to get shot because he thinks I am a nutcase!" He got out of his truck and walked cautiously toward me. I was scared. "I might die tonight!" He approached my side of the car and I rolled my window down. I introduced myself to the officer and said "I bet I scared you, didn't I? You know pulling up behind you with my lights off!" I doubt he saw any humor it that whatsoever. 

I told him the entire story of the 4-wheeler incident and was sure someone had broken into my house the night before and stole it. All the while I was sleeping. I even had my security alarm set and couldn't figure out why I never heard anything. I am a very light sleeper! I asked the patrolman if he would drive past my house once in awhile during the night to make sure nothing suspicious was going on. He kindly said he would. 

And... he did tell me that when needing assistance from a police officer I needed to pull up in front of the car, not behind. Whew! "I'm glad I dodged that bullet tonight!"

I felt much safer staying at Audrey's house that night. But, I was anxious to get home in the morning, too. I was up very early, cleaned the kitchen and headed for home by the time her household was starting to move for the day. 

As I pulled up the driveway the 4-wheeler was still in the same exact position. Nothing suspicious went on during the night. That was good news. I was still very nervous though and planned on staying at my daughters house one more night. I did not want to be in that big house all by myself! No way! That is... until....

my memory came back! The mystery was about to be solved! The case of the stolen 4-wheeler was about to break wide open! 

About an hour or so before I was going to leave for the night, I remembered something about the day my customer came to pick peaches. Remember... I had been watering plants when he needed my help. I got on the 4-wheeler and met him at the barn to get him boxes. When I was coming up the driveway, I parked the 4-wheeler at the bottom, just above the lower cherry trees, and hoped off to finish watering plants. I put the brake on. I did remember that, too! I went around the house watering and humming the next 20 minutes away. I got through and went in the house through the side garage door, giving no thought to the 4-wheeler I had left in the driveway! "Oh no! It was me who had caused all the commotion!" I was so embarrassed. I called my daughter, admitted my guilt, and said I wouldn't be spending the night. I had her promise me not to tell a soul, I was so embarrassed. Apparently, the brake did not hold the 4-wheeler from rolling backwards into the cherry trees. No wonder it was in such an unusual and odd position!

In the meantime my husband was messaging me asking me all kinds of questions. Then, he called me! "Oh, no!" I had two choices. I could either keep the story going (but that would mean I'd have to tell really good white lies to keep it going), or I could just admit the truth and tell him I was the thief. He made it easy on me. Before I told him anything at all, he said, "Carol, maybe you left it there and just didn't remember." Whew... "yes, I did! I remembered and that is exactly what happened." 

Then I thought, "Oh, no! we have a security system. The hubby has been spying on me all along! But how could he know... we don't have camera's at the front gate...." 

That's my story. And, I'll forever be teased! My kids keep telling me about all the stories they are going to tell at my funeral. It will be a laughing good time occasion! I can't believe they are going to embarrass me when I dead! Oh well, I'll take laughter over crying any day! 

Writing prompt # 4: a time you were teased.

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