Nighttime is Scary

Realizing I’ve not run into Compton and Gandalf’s mom in some time, I checked the camera footage back to the day I set it up, July 9, and find mom (Ms. Neighbor) is not showing up as still living here. She’s made an appearance, checked in a time or two since, but seems to be residing elsewhere — maybe with her daughter, maybe with a boyfriend.

My mom did something similar when three of my four brothers, still in their teens, lived with her in a one-bedroom apartment, and began wearing her down.

I was out at my own at the time, dealing with learning, growing and that cop I married.

My brother Johnny, four/five years younger than I was likewise also out on his own, starting a family when mom found herself a boyfriend — Morris, the man who would eventually become my stepfather, and escaped the boys by moving in with Morris.

My sister, a few years younger than Johnny, was also out on her own.

Mom paid the rent and utilities on the apartment, where resided the twins and my youngest brother; provided groceries, but never actually lived there while the boys finished school, did whatever it is teen boys do.

When mom married Morris and they bought a house, the three boys eventually made their way to living in the house with mom and Morris.

I don’t know all the details, but think it safe to assume Morris and mom could not afford both a house payment and the apartment for the boys.

My youngest brother finished school, worked through his teen angst, got out on his own, eventually bought his own home, started a family, worked for an oil company.

That left my twin brothers for mom and Morris to deal with.

The twins remind me of Compton and Gandalf — Compton appears to be working as nighttime security, Gandalf hangs around ………… one of my twin brothers worked menial jobs as a shoe salesman, the other lounged around, never held a job.

Neither twin ever left home. Never got out of the neighborhood. Never lived on their own, away from mom.

The last time I ran into Ms. Neighbor she’d changed her style — wore braids the entire time I’ve known her to live here, but had suddenly taken her braids out, was sporting a press and curl.

That kind of change translates boyfriend, rather than living with daughter, but either way, it’s still a lease violation for the boys to be here, in a senior complex — with or without her.

While reviewing prior camera footage, looking for the last time I actually captured Ms. Neighbor on camera, I saw two things I really wish I hadn’t seen.

Please watch this next video to end, tell me if it's as spooky to you as it is to me.

I’d like to convince myself this was just a cat, but what’s scaring me is knowing cats don't shimmy up walls like whatever this blur is did.

And for sure, whatever beast this is, it’s not a cat.

What with TinTin’s window coverings and Gandalf’s nighttime ritual, which he has now moved to daylight hours as well, things are weird around here, but nighttime is full on scary.