It's a Trap!

It’s a Trap!

“Well, Nosey, What do you think?”

I was stunned  when I saw the note taped on the inside of the our front door. It was a tiny piece of paper one had to step up close to read.

“What is this for?” I asked Husband.

“It’s for The Drunks. I guessed they would be looking in here when we left.”

Husband must have been correct because when we got out of the car, I noticed The Drunks sitting on their own porch. As I looked in their direction, they turned their heads as if to ignore us.

After I read his note, I turned toward them and laughed heartily.

Earlier that day our carpenter had begun the job of framing in our front porch. The house built in1910 near Friends University needed a front entry room, and the porch provided excellent space for it.

The problem was that for the two years of our remodeling and improving the property, neighbors on either side of us reported all our work to the former owner. Husband said we improved the place merely moving into it, but we also added decks, removed dangerous out buildings, painted, and landscaped.

The Drunks, two houses north, paraded the sidewalk several times to gape at Mark at work. They were the same family whose Doberman Pinscher dogs attacked and tore at our letter carrier earlier in the year. Obviously they came onto our porch when we left to survey the job more closely.

Husband has a keen sense of knowing when people will be devious and underhanded. He claims it is because it takes one to know one.

Be that as it may, the note must have made a huge impression on them. Both sets of neighbors decreased their efforts into our business.

Husband took his skill a step further one year when our children were in middle childhood. By that time we had moved to a newer and larger house in far-west Wichita.

It was Christmas which meant I had filled our closet with numerous presents and goodies for them. Fortunately, I wrapped them in case curious eyes made their way into our bedroom.

In the spirit of shopping, one evening Husband and I decided to leave the kids home alone before we left for the mall.

We were about out the door when Husband excused himself and went to our room.

Later, we heard the story.

Our son, the Crown Prince, came running to his older sister with a clip board and a pen in his hand.

“Here, we are have to sign this.”

The note on the board said, “If you have been peeking in these presents, sign this note.”

He had gone into sneak, when he saw the clipboard.

“Don’t do it. It’s a trap,” she screamed at him, at which time he dropped the clipboard and ran to his room.

She replaced it, so it would appear nothing had been disturbed.

Of course, their keenly observant dad could tell it had been moved, and called them to our room.

When it was all confessed, I again laughed heartily. I hadn’t even thought to lay a trap for the kids, but Husband had.