Like any parent of human children, I generally understand what my dogs are barking about even when I don’t see what they see. Some of their barks include:
1. Look! That dog we hate is walking down the sidewalk!
2. Look! That dog we love is walking down the sidewalk!
3. Squirrel! (Same bark as: Possum! Raccoon!)
4. CAAAAAAAAAT! CAT ON THE COMPOUND!
5. MAIL CARRIER COME TO KILL US!
6. Mysterious event. Will bark just in case it Develops Into Something.
7. Exterminator! Run to crate! Treat will be forthcoming! (Also works for plumber, electrician, and Joe My Contractor.)
8. Meter reader/UPS/Fedex has breached perimeter security! MUST BE TERMINATED.
9. There’s someone on the porch! Seriously! LISTEN TO ME NOW!
10. I need to pee and/or poop. QUICK QUICK!
11. Friend has breached perimeter security! Prepare to affectionately crush ovaries or man bits!
12. Tim has a new foster dog!
Thursday, I ignored Bark 6. I wish I hadn’t, because when it was followed a few minutes later by Bark 9, I went to see what was going on. Bark 9 was just someone who’d taped a flier to my front door offering to paint our house or do other odd jobs. I can take a hint. I just can’t afford a paint job right now.
As I was about to shut the door, I noticed a burgundy car blocking a neighbor’s driveway. There are several cars of that color on our street at any given time. One is a neighbor’s. One is a different neighbor’s frequent visitor. One is yet another neighbor’s housekeeper. And one is Tom’s.
The car wasn’t just in the driveway at an odd angle. The passenger door was open. The driver’s seat was pulled forward. The windshield was cracked. The hood was buckled. The front was crushed. I hurried outside to see if someone needed help, but there wasn’t a person in sight. A condo dweller down the street came outside and joined me, and we agreed that the car wasn’t one of the regulars. (In fact, he knew the names of everyone on our street, which always amazes me. I usually only remember the dogs’ names.)
While he knocked on doors to try to find out if anyone knew anything about the car, I did an assessment of the area. No trees or phone poles had been hit. No bodies were lying in ditches. Whatever happened, it happened somewhere else, then the car was pulled over and abandoned. I called the police. When she arrived, she called for a wrecker, then put on gloves and searched the car. Meanwhile, Tim got home and we hung outside with Jackson long enough for the cop to open the trunk. Just wanted to make sure there wasn’t a body in it. (I may have been reading too many mysteries lately.)
I think she found something inside the car–whatever it was, it was too small for me to see, but she sure got interested in it. Later, when Tim and I left for the gym, we could see some stuff including pill bottles in a plastic bag.
I wish I could have seen the person/people who abandoned the car. That’ll teach me to keep reading status updates on Facebook when Bark 6 happens.
That’s the wrecker driver’s bottle of water resting on the windshield.
It was SO HOT, and I felt bad because I didn’t have any bottled water to offer the cop, and figured she wouldn’t take anything that wasn’t sealed.
I put a few bottles in the refrigerator today.
Just in case someone else wants to wreck and abandon a car near The Compound.
the mystery
I still have so many Buddy-sounds to learn… So far just have numbers 1 through 4.
Strange re the abandoned car – bet it is connected with some criminal activity (hopefully where no one was hurt).
Re: the mystery
I think it was probably stolen. ‘Cause if the owner did it and had some kind of drugs in the car, it seems like s/he would have taken them out before running. Unless deeply under the influence, I suppose.
When I first got Smokey, I read a couple of books about cats. One passage I remember is when the author stated that you’ll figure out what the various sounds your cat makes means. That was so true! Smokey often used rather specific sounds, depending on the situation. Over time I learned to interpret them and I was usually right.
Cats can be VERY vocal.
I read recently the interesting fact that cats mainly communicate with themselves by smells and body language. It claimed that cats communicate with their human family members vocally because they learn that that’s how we mainly communicate.
I’m sure they think our method is far inferior.
Ha! I also just remembered reading how that the reason why animal experts think that they see their human family members as humans and not just fellow funny-looking cats is because cats apparently make sounds with us that they don’t do with their fellow cats.
What’s interesting about doggies is how they still retain many characteristics of their ancient wolf ancestry. I saw a documentary where they were showing footage of various wolf vocalizations and how their dog cousins tend to still communicate in a very similar way.
Weird…
I think, like Lisa said, the car was stolen. I just wish I could figure out what they hit before they arrived on my street.
I like how you’re concerned about having refreshments on hand.
Best belle I know. : )
I try, sugar.
BarkSec Inc.
Sound like you have a security issue. Did you know that BarkSec now offers, for an additional charge, Bark 13? 😉
Re: BarkSec Inc.
LOL.
Hmmm…can you say stolen car?
When we were in college, my roommate had her car stolen. (OK, we were drunk, and she gave her keys to these guys we’d given a ride to but didn’t know so they ‘could get something they had forgotten out of it.’ Again–we were drunk.) It was abandoned in an alley after it got stuck in a snowbank. There were some interesting pills/seeds in the car. Plus, THE IDIOT LEFT HIS LICENSE IN THE CAR!!!!!!!!!! She never did turn the license over to the cops, I guess because she got the car back. (They stole our ice skates out of the back of the car–WTF?? Not the brightest, apparently. I’m sure they probably got a whole $2 off of them.)
A few years ago, someone crashed a car into a house around the corner from us about two a.m. The driver vanished on foot into the night. Later, the owner said the car had been stolen. I always wondered if the owner was actually driving drunk and the “stolen car” story saved his butt.
I never had a car stolen, but I’ve had two cars broken into. The first time, they took a pack of my mother’s cigarettes. The second time, they took my phone charger. Of course, both times it cost me a ton of money to get my cars fixed.
Just wanted to make sure there wasn’t a body in it. (I may have been reading too many mysteries lately.)
It happens (Thursday, in Toronto): http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Teacher+body+found+trunk/1780714/story.html
I, too, am charmed by your concern over your lack of available sealed beverages. 🙂
EEK! Poor teacher. I hope they find the person(s) who did that to her.
True story: Many years ago, when we were having unbearably hot weather similar to now, I saw an elderly homeless guy pushing a shopping cart down our street. I grabbed a bottle of water and caught up with him on the next block. When I handed it to him, he said, “What the hell is this?” I said, “Water.” He sighed and said, “You don’t have a dollar?”
That’s one of my writing partner Jim’s favorite stories and still makes both of us crack up.
HAHAH – he probably just wanted to buy his own water.
love the numbered bark list. and as mentioned, my kitty boys ONLY talk when they’re wanting something – but each meow does mean something different and it’s in my best interest if i heed their call.
Crazy. But was the cop hot?
Of course. All cops in stories are hot. Especially my stories.
Wow! That read like the beginning of a good mystery novel. I think you need to get on that, Miss Marple. 🙂
I would, but I’m Gladys Kravitz.
I agree — this is a fabulous set-up!
I want to know what they found, what was REALLY in the trunk,
who it was stolen from…
The posibilities…
Scary . . .