Who'd be Calling at This Time?

Shit! That was scary.

It's three in the morning, and someone just rang the doorbell. Who would ring the doorbell at three in the morning?

A trouble-maker? The police? Osama bin Laden?

Was it some sort of disaster or emergency? Had an identity thief been doing all sorts of criminal stuff in my name, with me about to be arrested for crimes I did not commit? Was it something so terrible I hadn't even thought of what it could be in those few moments in which I thought and feared the things that I did think of?

I made my way - very cautiously - out into the hall. Leaving the light off. Making sure I didn't cast a shadow on the front door. Hoping they, whoever they were, wouldn't notice me.

Standing silently in the darkness, I watched the patterned glass in the front door, looking for shadows of whoever was out there. There was no unusual shadow, but all that meant was that they weren't standing right up against the door.

Oi! came a male voice from outside. You've left your light on!

That was the beginning of relief. It could so easily be that a neighbour had left their car lights on (and as we have no car at present, it could not be ours). But I needed confirmation.

Putting the lounge's dimmer-switched light on to just its lowest setting, I made my way to the window. Like a peeping tom hoping not to get caught, I peeked out from behind the curtain. There was no one on our drive, no one standing right outside our front door. Another curtain, and, again, no one. A third (looking straight out in front), and all there was to note was an empty car with its courtesy light still on. And it was parked right outside our house.

So, that's all it was. No trouble-maker, not the police or other emergency services, and certainly not an international terrorist. Just someone letting us know that a courtesy light's been left on.