Waiting for the bus was always a thing. The bus was usually late and we were its last stop. The neighbors were always there too which you would think would be a fun time to hang out. This would have been true had it not always been way too early for all of us. I was used to getting up early to do morning chores so I used this time to observe. I was always the observer in the group, a quiet one word answer kind of kid.

I mostly noticed mornings where things were different. If people were running late the rush in the air gave the time a little bit of excitement. I was never late. I got ready quickly and efficiently, being the little Capricorn that I am. So I always got to watch people in a frenzy. My sister was always running late. She always had some project she’d been working on that had kept her up half the night. Usually it was an art project no matter what subject it was for she always found a way to turn it into art. I wasn’t jealous because I had my thing.

I was into sports. Climbing trees. Skiing. Ice-skating. Swimming in the ocean. Well on this particular morning we were waiting for the bus there was a raccoon. Maybeline our black labrador retriever was there barking her head off. Her barking hustled me outside earlier than everyone else. Josh, Jason and David next door and my sister were ALL running late today. I was out there watching like I do. I saw Maybeline there on the scene with the raccoon. She was there being her usual guard dog self and I thought, “This is really bad. Should I go get someone. Dad isn’t here. Mom isn’t here. Suze isn’t here. What should I do? What am I going to DOOO? We are talking about rabies here people!” This was a time before cell phones otherwise I would have called my Dad. But since it was the time of landlines I knew it would be too risky to go inside now because now it was really time for the bus to come.

Everyone came running out at what seemed like the same time. I stood there dumbfounded. When you say flight, fight or freeze, I was frozen solid like an ice-brick statue of myself. I told Suze as soon as I could, thinking she would be as petrified as I was but she non-chalantly down played it. “Maybe will be okay”. “I promise.” Suze said assuredly.