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, but at the same time, wonder how our namby-pamby police force will solve the crime. Afterall, they are used to catching old ladies who run the stop signs, not ax murderers. This evening, I see a police car with sirens on full blast two cars behind me. As I give way to let it pass, I see it turning up the street that leads to my house. OOPS! I zoom up the hill to find paradise undisturbed. Maxime has passed his spelling bee first round, Julien is practicing his violin, and Charlie is on his tummy slurping up his food. As we dine, we exchange information about the day. Aya says she needs to go up and down the hill to the creek to perform an experiment. I protest violently on the grounds that a mass murderer is lurking in the grass. Julien and Charlie are summoned as her knights in shining armor. They trudge out the door in seething disharmony. I hope the murderer is caught quickly so that my kids' friends don't have to do their homeworks in the toilet out of fear of becoming the next victim.