I got a call from Merrin yesterday afternoon. She sounded panicked. I was in for a shock. “The house alarm company just called. One of the glass break sensors went off. The police are on their way. I’m headed home,” she said.
At once a million things ran through my mind. Important things: Are the dogs ok? Is the house ok? Are the police there yet? Stupid things: What will be stolen? So many thoughts all at once. My heart was racing. I told Merrin not to go into the house without the police. She promised she wouldn’t, we said our “I love you’s” and she hung up to drive.
I heard nothing for at least a half an hour. I knew Merrin was driving home and there was nothing either of us could do. Well, that’s not true. I think I spent my time coming up with 100 bad scenarios and at least a dozen logical explanations as to why the alarm would go off without someone breaking in. But mostly, I just thought about my wife and my dogs.
Merrin arrived at the house. The Fort Worth Police were already there. It had been a false alarm. They left as soon as she arrived. They had checked it out and everything was OK.
We have no idea why the glass break sensor went off. It has gone off on occasion, but only when something shook the entire house. Like when the Naval Air Station was home to the B-1s for a month. But we have no idea what happened yesterday. We’re just really thankful that everyone (and every thing) is OK.