TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING? NOT!!

Photo courtesy of amzeyden in Photobucket

The terrified scream came from behind me. I whipped around, my heart in my throat. It was a young girl standing some distance away, her arms waving madly. She was staring off to her right as she screamed...and screamed again! I glanced quickly in the direction of her gaze, but couldn’t see any menace there. I started toward her – I was not without apprehension, but I was also wondering if I could help. At that very second she turned and ran blindly through the trees, her acute cries still piercing my brain. I pelted after her - fear coursing in my veins now too – and I was thinking if she would only SHUT UP, whatever was giving chase would have less chance of finding her. Of finding both of us, damnit!!

I woke with a start. Ah - it was a dream… but I could still hear her screams…for real! I groggily realized that they were coming through the baby monitor on my nightstand. It must be some horror movie playing on Bird’s TV in his room. I fumbled to turn the sound lower, but the TV volume was so loud that it was still audible even without the monitor. And she was STILL shrieking! Geez!

Bird was sleeping soundly when I stumbled into his room. The remote was lying on the bed under his hand, and I supposed he had inadvertently pressed the button to put the speakers on high. I gently disengaged the culprit and finally rid myself of that terrible racket, which had never let up. I looked at the screen. Yep, she was by a door, her face contorted in a bad rendition of terror….a grade D actress in a Grade D movie. I was really going to have a chat with my brother the next day. If his 24 hour TV was going to invade my dreams, the least he could do would be to find a movie starring Brad Pitt!

My brother and I have always enjoyed spending time with each other, and that’s a good thing. But…there can be too much of a good thing. We are both very independent souls, and each has lived alone for a long time – him even longer than me. Put two people like us in the same house on a continual basis and, no matter how many rooms are available, sparks are apt to fly now and then. They are very tiny sparks, and of short duration. We care too much for each other to ever be mean, or hold a grudge. However, we are not past taking a little light revenge now and then.

I guess I sounded somewhat b*tchy when I broached the subject the next day. I may have, in fact, referred to his beloved television as ‘that idiot box’. He listened as I ranted, then nodded, adding that his dreams were sometimes invaded too. When he smiled, I should have known it was an evil smile.

“Well,” he drawled. “I was thinking of watching the Porn Channel, but remembered the monitor was in your room….” He waited.

I sat deliberating my choices. Would I really rather dream I was participating in a “Debbie does Dallas” scenario? The bugger had won again!

“Well, at least put the remote on your table before you fall to sleep,” I countered. Then an idea. “Or the batteries may wear out…suddenly!”

“I know – and I keep some new ones stashed in my room just in case.” Somehow I knew he was telling the truth. He was smirking. I glared back at him. At a loss for words, I reverted to the standard sibling threat.

“I’m gonna kick your ass!” I declared.

He was right on cue. “Not if I kick yours first!”

And we smiled.

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.