He's Looking At Me

I do not know why I had this on my mind the last few days, But here it is.

IN 1976 or 1977, I was working at Montgomery Ward.

My younger son (Ken) arrived home a few minutes before the older one. (Charles)

We lived in the country and were loving country life.

We had squirrels, rabbits, Pheasants, Road Runners, You know the general run of the hilly, Rattle snake, pine tree covered property.

We lived in the hills just outside Redding.

One day, I received a call at work.The conversation went something like this.

Ken "Mom, what did you put in the living room before you left?"

Me "What are you talking about, I don't understand what you are asking."

Ken, "There is something sitting on the curtain rod in the living room,

And IT IS LOOKING AT ME".

I laughed and tried to get him to describe it to me.

About that time Charles came home, He and Rick Belk, (neighbor kid) decided it was a barn owl.

Of course they called the neighbor kids over to look.

Of course the bird panicked.

Of course the bird came in through the chimney and had soot on him.

Of course a panicked bird goes poop.

I called the Humane Society. They had no idea how to get him out of the house. (This is true)

They referred me to the Dept of Fish and Game.

I called them and was immediately told, "You can not have an owl in your house, That is illegal." Now I am frustrated. I tell them, "I did not invite him, he flew in down the chimney".

I am on the phone, the kids are having a ball yelling and laughing.

I have the DFG on the other line, they kids yell, "He is bombing us."

I guess they hear the frustration in my voice and realize I did not take in an endangered species.

The kids finally open the door, the bird flies out, but not before bombing them and getting soot on the ceiling, furniture, drapes and giving my children a fun after noon and something to talk about for a long time.