Scaredy cat

I have a really bad habit of leaving my back door unlocked. Usually it's an accident, but often when I go out of town I do it just in case I get locked out. After all, there's a privacy fence back there, and what's the likelihood that someone would wander into my back yard and check my back door?

I know, I know. It's not smart. And today I learned my lesson.

After being trapped by 8"+ of snow on Mount Nebo for the past two days, Scott drove my car down the mountain so that I could return home. I grabbed a load of luggage and entered my house around 5 p.m. this afternoon.

I was instantly struck by how cold it was inside, but remembered I'd turned down my heat before leaving. Then I noticed my back door was standing wide open.

After a moment of panic, I realized nothing was missing from my house. My flat screen TV was still in the living room. My china was still in the cabinet.

Relaxed once again, I closed and locked the door, turned up my heat and entered my bedroom. And promptly screamed like a banshee.

There, regally lounging on my bed, was a black and white cat.

My shrill scream scared said cat, which promptly scurried under my bed.

I tried to figure out how to get the stupid feline out of my house. Understandably, my calls of "here, kitty kitty" didn't work. So I opened all of my outside doors and starting poking a broom under my bed. The cat ran into the kitchen and propped itself on a dining room chair. Then I chased it outside.

It's a world full of crime, but I'm petrified of a house cat. I'll be double-checking my locks from now on, lest any more animals wander in my house. After all, I live just a few mere miles from the wild wilderness safari. Next time it could be a cheetah.

I don't know if that cat used up any of its lives today, but I certainly was scared within an inch of mine.