Who's that knocking at my door?

---

"To sleep, perchance to dream-ay, there's the rub."

So asleep we are, cocooned in our cozy aluminum nest, when -- in the depths of my slumber, I think I hear a knock, and the word "police"? Then again, this time more forcefully 'THIS IS THE POLICE"....

I awake, but is it really the Police? In my sleep addled mind I think -- "That can't be The Police, Sting would have a more pronounced English accent." But then I remember -- "Perhaps it's Stewart Copeland -- he's an American!"

One thing is sure, this is a situation that will require me to put on pants. I do so, then I peek out through our drawn curtains to see a big, young guy -- neatly dressed, but not in any discernible uniform. In these situations, I have learned to rely heavily on my well-developed Spidy Senses -- and in this case, they sense no danger, so I unbolt and open the door.

"I am a deputy sheriff, and I am so sorry to disturb you sir, but I stopped to check the campground bathrooms, and I lost my dad-gum keys."

I should point out to you now that he actually said "dad-gum" -- he really did. He also said it in an accent that, I'm sure, was unlike anything ever spoken by either Mr. Sting or Mr. Copeland. Anyway, he was locked out of his cruiser, and he had no cell phone, and wanted to borrow ours. I got mine, unlocked it, and handed it to him. He held it in his hand and looked at it like it was an ancient Egyptian amulet, or perhaps a Viking rune tablet. He was sure it was powerful, and full of meaning, but he was at a total loss to decipher it. I took it back from him, (gently, and reverently) I brought up the key pad, and handed it over. He made his call, and gave the phone back, apologizing again, and thanking me. I'm sure he was happy not to have to spend the whole night waiting at the campground bathroom, but also I'm sure he knew full well that he would be riding the shame train at work until the cows come home.


The rest of the night passed uneventfully, I slept well, my copilot not so much. In the morning we explored the park, walked a bit of the old Trace, read the sad markers (so many kids!) in an old grave site, and look at Lewis's stone monument. Too bad that the disturbance of his sleep on this spot had a more tragic outcome.

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Comments

[Stormin]

Glad you weren't arrested, da gummit ! Have fun and hugs to Cathy!

[Steve Walther]

The Trace
We were at the monument May 15 on a MC trip. Did you do the whole Trace? Lot's of history, eh?

[fredzeppelin]

Natchez Trace
We didn't do the northernmost 40 miles or so -- it was closed -- some kind of obstruction. We love cruising the rest of it though.