Day 30: Homicide

I live in a pretty tame neighborhood. In tame neighborhoods, there are many hidden vices: drugs, alcoholism, abuse, etc, but murder is not one of those. This morning, I receive an email from the school. There has been a homicide in the neighborhood. I feel for the victim, and at the same time, wonder how our namby pamby police force will deal with it. They are used to catching old ladies who run stop signs, not ax murderers. This evening, I let a police car pass by, as it has its sirens whirling. I see it turn up the street that leads to my house. Oops! I zoom up the hill to find paradise undisturbed. Maxime has passed his spelling bee test first round and is happy. Julien is practicing his violin, and Charlie is on his tummy slurping up his food. As we dine, we talk about the day. Aya mentions she needs to go up and down the hill to the creek (imagine the hills in the Sound of Music) for a school project. The lonely goatherd and the mass murderer transpose themselves onto one another. Julien and Charlie are summoned as knights in shining armor. The three trudge out the door in harmonic protest. I hope the murderer is caught, so that everyone can feel safe again.