We had some drama early Sunday morning.

It is a wild ride so buckle in.

Herbie started pacing and growling around the bedroom close to 4:00 am. Every once in awhile he seems to forget he is no longer in suburbia and gets jumpy and grouchy at some of the “downtown noises” he hears.

Music, car doors, laughter.

Growl, growl, growl.

This time however he was not just being crabby.

This time there was a man with a machete (yes….a machete) in our front yard hacking at our Magnolia tree.

My husband, being rational and reasonable, called the police.

Myself, not always possessing these traits, ran out of the house in my PJs, house alarm blaring behind me, to confront this man because nobody messes with my trees.

Of course this man was not in his right mind and started making crazy statements and vague threats. This is when I started to realize that being rational and reasonable are not such bad things to be.

One of the perks of living downtown is that the police station is only a few blocks away. This means I had just a minute or two to regret my decision to leave the house before six police cars and the K-9 unit arrived and made the arrest.

Now here is where things get even crazier in a way that makes my blood boil.

My husband and I were out mid Sunday morning, cleaning up the mess. And….I have to admit the Magnolia tree WAS in need of a trim and actually looks better thinned out a bit.
Anyway….we were cleaning up the debris when who should walk right by us but the very same man who only hours earlier was causing so much chaos.

My husband didn’t recognize him, having remained in the house and not getting a good look, but I could feel my heart pounding and my knees start to shake and I had no doubt it was him.

I called the police station to inquire why on earth this man was out walking around, mere feet from kids and families leaving church, just hours after trespassing and vandalizing property with….a machete.

The officer I spoke to was frustrated herself. She said the man in question is very well known to their department. He is a mental health patient and apparently as quickly as they arrest him, he appears before a judge and is released. Which is what happened, yet again, in this case.

I am beyond confused and upset by this.

I have compassion for people with mental health issues but also feel the general public should be kept safe and protected from these people if they are not making safe and sane decisions. Which clearly this man is not.

So the saga will continue.

I sat up most of the night looking out the window. Convinced every noise and movement was this man coming back. My heart racing every time the dog twitched in his sleep.

This morning (because nothing is open and nothing gets done on Sunday in the South) I called the alarm company to thank them for doing their job and doing it so well. They called right away when I failed to disarm the alarm and set it blaring into the night.

I reached out to one of our city commissioners who I know in passing to see if she could meet with me to discuss ways in which this system is lacking.

I spoke to my neighbors and asked them to be watchful.

Asked the police to drive by our house throughout their shift.

Gave Herbie extra treats and belly rubs for being so vigilant.

Arranged the Magnolia pods I salvaged from the wreckage into a centerpiece. Told them how sorry I was that they were so savagely removed before they were ready to go.

Took a breath, willed my heartbeat to slow, double checked the locks and hoped for the best.