Thank you and good night Someone (ahem, maliavale) has asked for funny stories from when I was a kid. Well, I have a couple and I'll tell you one now. But just one. I can't give everything away the first time. It's not exactly from when I was a kid, but it's still a good story. My mom, sister and I were sitting around the living room, talking and watching television. I think my sister was a freshman in high school. Which would have made me about 21. I can't remember exactly because my memory -- it ain't what it used to be. Out of the blue my sister said to my mom, "aren't you tired?" My mom brushed it off. And I didn't really think anything of it. She may have asked a couple times and then she went upstairs to her bedroom. Not long after, my mom and I decided to call it a night too. So I went upstairs to my room to read and mom went to hers, which is right off the living room and beneath my room. I heard a bird outside, which isn't unusual since my mom's house is in the middle of the mountains. I thought about it for maybe 2 seconds before I ignored it and went back to my book. Then my mom called up to me. "Do you hear that?" "What?" "That bird noise," she says. "That is not a bird. That is a person." It doesn't take much to freak me out. When I was a kid in the house by myself I would convince myself that I heard someone walking through the house and up the stairs to my room. Surely, an ax murderer coming to get me. So, my heart pounding, I raced down the steps. I don't really remember everything that happened afterward. But what I remember most is being my mom's shadow. Every time she took a step, I took a step. She breathed, I breathed. She froze, I froze. I was on her heels every step she took. I mean someone was OUTSIDE OUR HOUSE. We were in her bedroom, crouched on the floor beneath the window. The window was open. The bird calls continued. She yelled out, "Who's there!?" No answer. Then she said, "I'VE GOT A GUN AND I'M NOT AFRAID TO SHOOT! I'LL SHOOT YOU!" "Um. Mom? Do you really have a gun?" I whispered to her. "Noooooooooo. But HE doesn't know that." Yes, I'm pretty freaking gullible. I'm so close to her that I'm probably touching her and I'm asking if she really has a gun. BAH HAHA. It's OK. I can laugh about it now. So, after she yelled that, we heard some leaves rustle and then, I guess the "bird" left. And if I recall correctly, mom and I spent the rest of the night freaked out. And at 21, I slept in my mommy's room. And I don't think I allowed her to leave my side. My sister didn't find out about it until the next morning because she never woke up. Actually, I think a nuclear explosion may not even wake that girl. But we found out later that she was planning to sneak out. And when mom wouldn't cooperate in the plan and go to bed, my sister just gave up and went to bed herself. Meanwhile, the poor unsuspecting boyfriend came to get her and stood outside the wrong side of the house bird calling to her. I can't remember exactly when we figured out the truth. It seems like mom knew soon after it happened. And then we had a good long laugh about how I was on her heels the whole night. Only my sister would plan something like that and then abandon it without telling the major players. This has since been called "the night Jeannie planned to sneak out but fell asleep." We haven't spoken of it in a long time, but I think it will come up again soon.