Crawl Space Dweller
Two bicyclists stopped mid-pedal in the center of the road. “Have you seen a strange man in the neighborhood?” the woman asked. “No.” I tightened my grip on the dog’s leash. “What kind of strange man?” The couple traded looks. “Really strange,” the woman said. “He had a rolling suitcase.” I wasn’t sure how this defined strange, but I shook my head. “We had to call the cops on him a few nights ago,” the man said, “for starting a fire in our yard.” That got my attention. “A fire?” The woman gripped her handlebars. “We think he’s homeless, and he’s going around trying to camp in backyards.” “He ran off before the cops could find him,” the man added. “But they said to call if we see him again.” “That’s creepy,” I said. “I’ll keep a look out.” They waved and remounted their bikes. Inside, I relayed the news to my family. We ate dinner and thought nothing more about it.