Last night, Dre and I were both slammed out of sleep by a bunch of screaming and snarling happening on the deck our bedroom opens onto. As we reassured each other it was ok (”Oh … cat fight”), Sassafras jumped up to take on the invaders herself, bolting out the open door onto the deck and barking up a little storm. (Funny, since the cats were probably bigger than her.) I called Sassafras back into the house, and then, as I stood there feeling disoriented, heard a gunshot somewhere outside. There were no shouts, squealing tires, or other sounds of distress before or after the shot, so I shrugged said half to Dre (already back asleep) and half to myself, “Never a dull moment,” got back in bed, and fell back asleep.

Almost 15 years after moving out of my parents’ silent-in-the-forest house, I’m still a light sleeper — but at least I fall asleep easily after loud disturbances these days.