sighting the demon-beast

We had all piled into the Subaru to get some sushi from our favorite sushi place. All four of us were buckling up and I was backing out the driveway... and turning the bun-warmers in the seats up to full throttle. We were all chattering about the amazingness of sushi and how happy we were because we were about to devour some.

WHEN...

...jetting across the road from the neighbors yard... like a streak of lighting with two reflective evil eyes... a strange beast... I can't use the word "crossed" the road... more like flashed across the asphalt.

My mother screamed out... "its the demon-beast!" ...and we all sat with faces full of registered shock!

Stories of the demon-beast started circulating a few weeks back. When my mother was driving home from work late one night. Right down the street from our house... she saw this creature. or glimpsed it. In it's mouth was a fluffy snow white victim. Mom was shocked. She could not believe how fast it was moving. She chased it down the street in her little silver sports car... and could not catch up with it. Mother felt sad for the little white "bunny" that the thing had captured.

The next morning little "Fluffy" the white kitten's MISSING posters were all over the neighborhood. Mom called the number. A female voice answered... Mom then preceded to share the story of Fluffy's probable demise. When the lady on the other end of the receiver started uncontrollably balling...mom realized she was talking to a little girl. Who aparently sounded a lot like an adult and had deceivingly good phone manners. Mom started to call the creature the "demon-beast" as she is wont to make all things as full of hyperbole as possible.

BUT tonight! I actually saw the beast itself! It really was unexplainable. Quite deserving of the name "demon-beast." It emerged from the side-yard of our neighbor. From right under the swing-set they keep for their grandkids. It really moved so fast that its features were undistinguishable. At first I thought it was a deer, because it was so tall! It was huge. It was a tan golden brown color. Yet, it didn't bound. It moved so swiftly. No loping. No jumping. Just streaking. It's head (only dectecable because of two reflective eyes) didn't move as it ran. And it's eyes were boring at us through the windsheild as it ran...reflective, green, round, and quite large! It litterly lept over a giant red fence and dissapeared into the dark shadows of a neighbors horse pasture.

We searched the field with our brights. It was gone. We stopped at the stop sign. Flapping in the breeze was another "MISSING" sign. Apparently, there have been quite a few missing posters. Each week, a new little punting dog or precious kitty disapears. Hmmmm.

Tonight... we were watching TV... I hear howling. I mute the TV and there is a chorus of dog howling coming from the neighbor's yard. There is one shrill yap that I know to be the neighbors little punting dog. Suddenly the yapping stops! and there is only silence. Has the demon-beast claimed another victim?

it is too big for a bob-cat. definetly not a coyote. What is this thing!

procrastination? or should I call it something else...

locked in this photo... is the image of my favorite restaurant in Chengdu. it's my favorite time of day. dusk has settled. and we would wonder down from my friends apartment around the corner and order home-made noodles layered with meat in a tomato, onion, and pepper sauce. all the lights would start glowing up and down the street. the temperature would start to cool as we sipped on steaming hot soup. they always gave us free soup while we waited for our food to cook. the steaming brew was some kind of broth... filled with exotic spices that tickled your throat. the porcelain kept my hands warm as I cupped the small bowl... there were no spoons... we just sipped from the bowl like a tea cup.

tonight I'm in east texas... and I am going out for Chinese food tonight. I know it won't be the same but I am still excited. lately, I've been caught up in busy routines and following strict schedules. I am ready to escape and break free a bit. my wandering nature is starting to get a bit jumpy.

i don't take well to confinement. if my week is becoming too mundane... i have to do something spontaneous. go for a moonlight walk. find someone to talk with. try to cook thai food. call my friends quite randomly with plans for them to join me in some venture... if they're up for it.

Spontaneity is so attractive. but at the same time... I have not been getting things done. my list of responsibilities keeps getting longer and longer and longer and longer....

...and then...this happens in my backyard...

...and all I planned to work on... lays forgotten on the shelf.