A brief laugh at yourself story. Last night as I prepared for bed, I heard what I thought was a soft barking sound, maybe a distress call from some unidentified animal. I thought perhaps a fox or a dog. I was in the kitchen when I heard it. So, I went outside to investigate, on the front porch it sounded as though it was coming from the back. I walked around there, disturbed a flock of sleeping swallows. Lots of fluttering. I walked down the back steps stood there a second, as I moved to try and locate the sound, I found its source.

It emanated from the slippers I was wearing, a cheap synthetic brand I picked up at the big box store down the road toward Fredericksburg. They’re my opened toed summer slippers, made of just the sort of material that will squeak when you walk but not so often that it’s rhythmic. The discovery squeak came as I stood on the step and simply turned to look around. I was the barking dog or distressed fox. A very disappointing discovery, because I was hoping to find something other than the sound of my feet to look at in the night with my flashlight.

That’s it. The whole story. Not much to look at or even laugh at really. It’s just that sort of mildly humorous thing we probably all do. In the past I would have laughed it off and gone to bed, which is what I did, except I didn’t laugh it off, I remembered it. And maybe that’s a good thing. Now I realize self-deception is real and my imagination is capable of blowing even the smallest thing all out of proportion, which might be good to remember the next time I find myself cross-ways with someone, because often times things aren’t always as they seem.

John W. Wilson is the author of The Long Goodbye: A Caregiver's Tale