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Mass Hysteria
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Mass Hysteria |
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lorilockheart Member
since 2000-05-06
Posts 206Alabama |
Mass Hysteria By Lori LockHeart It’s a funny thing about small town life and the small town people who live there. Life in these towns isn’t always backward, slow moving, boring, or even safe from all danger. The people aren’t always ignorant, inexperienced, naïve, and prone to leave their doors unlocked because they think nothing can happen in their town. I know these things because I’m one of those small town people. Growing up in a small town, I’ve seen, done, and heard it all, and it has shaped my life in many ways and made me the person I am today. That thought can be a bit frightening, though, when I think about four little kids who caused mass hysteria one summer on a Friday afternoon in the little town I call home. It was sunny and hot that afternoon, like any other day in the south. My mother and my aunt were in the kitchen bending over the table and having the most important conversation of their lives. “Well, I don’t know Lolie,” my aunt said, calling my mother by her nickname. “I think that the mauve wallpaper would really enhance the colors in your new couch,” she suggested. My mother picked up a sample and studied it closely. I watched the wrinkles form in her forehead. “Umm,” she mumbled slowly. “Maybe you’re right.” Who cares? I asked myself. I didn’t even know what color mauve was, and I sure didn’t know what the word enhance meant, but I did know that I was about to die from boredom. My brother and my cousins and I had just about run out of things to do that afternoon. We had played every game we could imagine and desperately sang every song we knew. We had wanted to watch TV, but that was impossible. My uncle and my dad had WWF blaring from the television, and we only had one TV in our house. My brother and my youngest cousin were pestering me to find something for us to do. I was the oldest and I was in charge of everything – it was an unspoken law. Unfortunately, whatever I thought up had to be fun. “Can we go outside?” I asked my mother between their utterings about color coordination and interior design. “Umm,” my mother muttered again. I didn’t know if that was a question or a statement, so I asked again. This time she absently said something that sounded like yes, but she didn’t look up. That was enough and we headed for the great outdoors of my backyard. We weren’t really doing anything specific until I, in all my genius, thought up a new game. We divided into teams and threw rocks at each other. It wasn’t as harmful as it sounds – we were only throwing little rocks from our driveway to see which team would get killed first. Of course, I had gotten the idea from the Ewoks in the latest Star Wars movie, but nobody had to know that. I was actually beginning to have some fun until I heard my youngest cousin let out her shrill, high-pitched, four-year-old scream. At first I thought that she had gotten hit with one of the big rocks that I, wise beyond my years, had designated as off-limits. I was in the middle of thinking how much trouble I was going to be in when I saw why she was screaming. At the end of our driveway stood the blackest, biggest, and meanest looking dog I had ever seen. At that moment his dirty, sharp, vampire-like teeth were making me think that we would be his next meal. I had seen enough. “Oh, God!” my cousin exclaimed. “He’s foaming at the mouth!” She was only a year younger that me, but always tended to me on the dramatic side. I, on the other hand, was more levelheaded and I refused to believe that a dog with rabies was standing in our driveway. Despite this, I looked at the dog again. As soon as I did, he let out a loud, ferocious sounding bark, and my brother and cousin let out another scream. We had learned about rabies at school and at home, and at that exact moment I was remembering those long needles I had seen in our Childcraft books that were used to inject the cure for rabies’ patients. I decided I didn’t want to take my chances. “I – I think it – it is f-foaming at the mouth,” I managed to get out, trying to sound cool, calm, and collected. “Lori, what do we do?” my little brother asked. Of course I was in charge again, so I remembered my level-headedness as I looked at the three of them. “RUN!” I screamed, taking off for the front door of my house. We couldn’t go back down the driveway to the back door because that was now rabies territory. My cousins and my brother followed me, screaming at the top of their lungs. We reached the front door and began to beat on it because, like always, it was locked. Even though four sets of little hands were making the loudest noise they could, I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever see the inside of my house again. I didn’t know if we would ever be heard over WWF. All three of them were screaming and crying, and my brother was hanging on to my leg. We could hear the dog’s bark coming closer and closer, and I could hear my heartbeat getting louder and louder – not just from the running we had done, but from sheer terror. On the surface, though, I just knew that I appeared calm and reassured to the three of them. The thought crossed my mind that if the dog did attack us I would have to sacrifice myself because I was the oldest. That was me – a brave and honorable savior. Just when I thought that the end was near, the door magically opened and my mother and aunt appeared like angels in the doorway. We bounded past them and into the house, and I made sure the door was closed and chain-bolted behind us. After all the screaming and crying had subsided, and all of the confusion had been sorted out, my mother called the city to inform them that a rabid dog had been seen in our neighborhood. By late afternoon the word had spread all over town, and folks spent the entire weekend in mass hysteria, panicking because a dangerous dog was on the loose. I, on the other hand, spent the weekend feeling relieved and thanking that I was alive. I was happy that I wouldn’t have to face that big needle, and I felt proud that I had saved my cousins and my brother, and now the whole town. On Monday, someone called to tell my mother that they caught the huge, slobbering, foam-infested, ferocious animal. They said they just wanted to reassure us that the black, longhaired Chihuahua with the faint white fur on its face would not “attack” anyone again. I was happy the threat of danger was gone. My mother was happy too. She even hung up the phone laughing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean. Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens. Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance. And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance - I hope you dance. song by LeeAnn Womack ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
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| © Copyright 2000 lorilockheart - All Rights Reserved | |||
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X Angel Senior Member
since 1999-11-07
Posts 1521Oregon |
ROFL!!!!!! Ain't small towns a wonder?!?!?! Great fun! I enjoyed this immensely...beware of Chihuahas!  ~Heather |
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Romy Senior Member
since 2000-05-28
Posts 1170Plantation, Florida |
This is so cute! How dramatic things seem when you are a child! Very descriptive, interesting story, Thanks, it was fun to read! |
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Aimster Member Elite
since 2000-02-19
Posts 4297Charlotte, NC |
This was LOL funny. I too come from a small town and so could relate. funny how dramatic we are as kids and how everything is like the end of the world or something. great story take care. amy "Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is before you can meet again. And meeting again after a moment or a lifetime is certain for those who are friends." "Fate exists but it can only take you so far, Because once you're there It's up to you to make it happen." |
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Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration |
brrr... I don't have a problem with needles myself, as a general rule. BUT when you start talking about that kind of poking...eek! This is funny, with a clever ending. Bravo! |
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Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187St. Paul, MN |
ROFL, very funny story! I agree with Chris on the needles too.. *shudders* ¡Yo quiero taco bell! Abrahm Simons "In a moment lies eternity And in a kiss resides forever" - Krista Knutson my bestest friend! |
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