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When I go to bed, it takes me seconds to fall asleep. When I am asleep, I sleep soundly until morning. I know to many that have trouble sleeping, this should be a blessing. Up to a point, it is, but sound sleeping also can have its drawbacks.

It was about midnight last night and I was in my usual state, somewhere between comatose and deeply asleep. My wife shot straight up in bed and shouted, "What was that!" I know now the proper response would have been, "I am not sure, I will get up and check it out." Not being lucid, nor terribly conversant when suddenly awakened, my not so clever response was "Huh?" I had not noticed anything unusual. My wife explained someone or something had screamed outside, just in front of the house. I replied with "Oh, really." This also was not the correct reaction to the situation. She shook me a bit and said, "listen." I listened and sure enough I heard the scream.

I sprang gingerly from bed to check out the situation. That is a lie. I got out of bed, stumbled about the room, and wondered why it was necessary to interrupt my sleep by screaming. By this time, Louie, the house dog, was cowering in his kennel at the foot of our bed. Coty, who protects the front door by sleeping in front of it on the porch was missing in action. If there was action to be had, he wanted no part of it.

The full moon turned the night a bright silver when I stepped out onto the porch. It was a beautiful summer evening with frogs croaking and whip-poor-wills calling until the unearthly scream. It was enough to make a brave man turn and run. It did not do much for an old guy standing on the front porch in his underwear either. Even as I realized it was the call of a bobcat, it is a bit unnerving, especially being so close. The large feline was apparently looking for a mate, somewhere between the front porch and my truck.

When Duke, the mighty mastiff saw me, he began to bark with a low woof. He was apparently trying to convince me he was protecting the homestead without really drawing attention to himself. He would "woof" carefully while watching from the safety of his dog house, just in case whatever was out there liked to eat big dogs more than their masters.

The appearance of me glowing in the moonlight must have scared off the bobcat. I know my appearance would have scared me in the middle of the night. Duke came out of his dog house, pleased that he had saved us from attack with his vicious barking and almost coming out to meet the intruder. Coty came back from wherever he had disappeared, acting a bit sheepish as though he realized we both knew he was a coward.

When I went back into the house, my wife was wondering what that was all about. I explained bobcats get a bit noisy at times, but are no real threat. They feed on small mammals such as mice and squirrels. They will take a deer fawn or turkey, but are no threat to humans. Good night.

In a few seconds, I was fast asleep. My wife was not so sure I was telling her the truth. She has heard some of my explanations before when I am more asleep than awake. She did not sleep well, but this morning I was able to convince her bobcats would not bother us. They may scream in the night, but she needs to ignore them like I do.[[In-content Ad]]

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