Some 30+ years ago, I and the young lady who would eventually be my wife, were living down in Gainesville Florida. She was in a program at the Sante Fe Community College to be a Zoo Keeper, and I was mowing grass for a living. We had a long weekend off and decided to drive up to South East Missouri, where I'm from, to visit my family. We hadn't been up there in awhile. We were young and stupid and it seemed like a good idea at the time. I had mentioned to my Dad that we might be coming up, but didn't really specify when, what time, or that we for sure would make the trip, like I said, we were young and stupid, and it seemed like a good idea at the time.
I don't remember what time we left, but I do remember that we got to my Dad's place at about 3:00 AM. The house was dark.

We had been up before to visit my family a few times before, and this being a small farming community, some 30+ years ago, the normal routine was to walk up, bang on the door as you're opening it, and give a big "Hello, We're here!" That's just how it was.

I didn't immediately notice the odd look that this young lady, who would later be my wife, was giving me as I stood quietly and knocked on the door, but I did catch the one she gave me as I knocked her hand away when she reached for the door knob. "What's the matter with you?" she asked. "Why don't we just go in, I'm tired". I told her, "You don't understand. My Dad is a Stoddard County Sheriffs Deputy. That door is locked. He has guns all over the place. You don't just go in, and you don't rattle the door knob".
"Well what happens if we do?"
"We'll get shot."
"What if he doesn't answer?"
We'll sleep in the car."

My Dad eventually opened the door. We didn't have to sleep in the car. That young lady and I have been married for 33 years. She was a Zoo Keeper at the Dallas Zoo for 15 of those years. I'm still mowing grass, and neither one of us got shot.

But the look on her face...

Interesting story. She wanted to try the door knob is not what I'm used to. I would never think of trying any door knob of a door I'm knocking on unless I hear someone from inside yell out it's open.

Great story!

That was a fun read, thanks!

I liked that story. I once dated the daughter of a sheriff in a small town in the Rocky Mountains. He gave us a ride home late one night after a movie. We were all just yapping it up as normal and out of no where he tells us there’s a dead guy in a body bag behind us in the Bronco. I mean……she and I were so creeped out, what conversation we could muster was lame, sparse and awkward. I did glance back there and there was what I presumed to be a body bag, but all of these decades and greater maturity later, I suspect he was just horsing around with us.

Pretty funny story. Thanks for sharing.

Great story!

More scary than if you visited the zoo at 2 AM!!

quote:

Originally posted by LouieH: My Dad is a Stoddard County Sheriffs Deputy.

Louie, my Dad grew up in Dexter, Stoddard County, he and his brothers and sisters grew up off Ray Street, mother is from Kennett, both went to SEMO in Cape, although he started college playing basketball at SLU, then came back home.

Spent many a holiday in Dexter.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Louie, my Dad grew up in Dexter

We lived in Dexter for awhile. This was in Bernie where most of my family is, some in Jackson and Parma now as well.

When we were in Dallas we met a girl who was from a small town in Missouri, that she figured we would never have heard of before. She grew up in Kennett.

It can be a small world.