I got a call late last night that the Chief of Police would be coming by to see me this morning.  I had a hunch it would involve someone who needed my help.  Now, you must understand... I do not have a door bell.  Anyone who is coming to see me must call first.  If I am in the back of the house I cannot hear if someone is at the front door.  I am not hard of hearing but the TV is usually going or I have music playing.  If I know someone is coming, I unlock the front door and instruct my callers to come in and yell.  The system has worked out until this morning.  I got up early and made coffee.  I sat at the breakfast room table awaiting the Chief's arrival.

I heard some chirping and glanced out the door.  Remember Oscar?  I wrote about him in "Ashley and Oscar" published earlier.  I was surprised when I spotted Oscar at the door and pulling the door handle down.

He scampered into the house, chirped at me and went straight to the back and through the doggy door.  I thought, well that was strange, then suddenly realized he had invited guests.  A raccoon had a arrived with two cats.  Now, you know how Sweet Pea, my ancient gray hound, loves to kiss everybody and everything.  Precious, my pit bull was delighted to see the new guests.  The welcoming committee was a bit much for the new arrivals.  Oscar and the raccoon ran off to play in the living room and the two cats ran up into Ashley's old cat tree.  Sweet Pea cried and cried. She just wanted one kiss from anybody.  She kept going back and forth watching Oscar and the raccoon jump from one thing to another in the living room.  Then she would come back to the bed room and sigh as she glanced up at the cat tree.

Then I hear the Chief, "Jane are you here?"  I instantly close the doors off so the dogs cannot get into the living room.  I hear the Chief laughing as I enter the room.  Oscar and the raccoon darted off to the kitchen.  I glanced into the kitchen and spotted the raccoon washing a piece of the biscuit I was working on in my coffee.  Oscar was nudging him to keep moving.  He was not moved.  He was settling in to finish off my biscuit.

I greeted the Chief.  I told him about Oscar coming through the front door and inviting his friends with him.  The Chief asked about Precious.  Precious had been a gift from the Chief last year after Freddie had gotten hit by a truck and died.  I motioned with my finger for the Chief to follow me as I opened the door to the bedroom.

  We both were surprised at what we saw.  We both started laughing.  There was Precious up in the cat tree kissing the two new cats who did not dare go down the tree for fear Sweet Pea would have them for lunch.  I talked real sweet to the two cats until I could get my camera.  The Chief also took out his phone and snapped a couple of shots.

He finally told me the purpose of his visit.  He wanted me to volunteer as a substitute teacher at one of the preschools just outside of town.  He said the teacher would be back in 3 days due to a death in her family.  I ask why they did not have substitute teachers they could call in who could use the money.  He let me know it was a very particular preschool.  I would be in charge of 18 six year old children from the special needs class.  Finding the right teacher that fast would be impossible.  The three down syndrome children I had helped before, "Storms That Frighten Children", all ready knew me and their mother had suggested me to the school board.

I thought about it for a few minutes.  I asked the Chief to go to the shelter and return with a cage to capture the raccoon for me.  I know he should be checked out but it was clear he was wild.  He needed to be released where he would not be vulnerable to people.  I did not want to take on that responsibility or pay for a permit.  The cats I would deal with as well.  It was clear they too were wild but I wanted to do a spay and release.  He agreed.  He left and got the cages for me and rounded up my house guests and took them to the vet for the proper care.

I agreed to report to the preschool on Monday morning.  I just said good bye to all my morning guests.... It is now ten thirty in the morning.... I am pooped.  I promise to keep you abreast of my new charges on Monday... Yikes, 18... 6 year old kids and me.  I have started gathering stories.  I think I will need them before the 3 days of my assignment runs its course.  

Guess what I am going to do this afternoon?  I locked the front door so Oscar would not use it to come in the door. I still do not know why he came in that way.  Maybe he saw me through the window.  Then I realized the problem.  Sweet Pea was laying down in front of the doggy door... waiting for the next guest.  Oscar had used the front door to get around the welcoming committee at the doggy door.

I cleaned up the crumbs from the biscuit the raccoon had finished off, poured myself another cup of coffee and scanned the pictures into the computer.  This is one time a picture is worth a thousand words.  How is your Saturday going?

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