My Perseid Experience

Having failed at my first attempt to see the expected vivid sky show, last night I set my alarm for 2:30 A.M. since the height of the experience was to be at 3 A.M. Although I didn't bound out of bed, I did manage to rise without complaint, throw a hoodie over my jammies, stuff my feet into slippers and make it to the garage. No purse, no phone, no ID.

Neighbors had kept their garage lights, front door lights and security lights on so our street was not a good viewing venue. We drove to the next street, and the next, same thing. We meandered out into the country. We could find darkness but no place to pull over. About 3:15 A.M. we realized we were being followed. We turned left, the car behind turned left; right, the same thing. This went on for several turns all out on the country roads, corn and soybean fields on each side. Finally we slowed so the car could pass. It pulled up behind us and that's when the blare of red and blue spinning lights hit the car. Our local sheriff's deputy.

I had an immediate flashback to high school but that story is for another day or never.

Jim, thank goodness, had his ID with him, although the car registration is in my name and I had no ID with me.

As the officer approached the driver's side door, I immediately, because I watch way too much TV but here it came in handy, kept my hands where he could see them.

He asked my husband what we were doing to which my brave foolish husband said, "we're trying to lose you."

What a lame excuse! "Officer, we were out trying to find a dark place to watch for the meteor shower." It sounded suspicious even to me! I mostly sat there with a stupid grin on my face, chuckling internally although a few times the chuckle escaped audibly through my lips.

It must have sounded too lame to be a lie because he gave us some ideas of where we might find high ground, pull offs, and darkness and let us go.

Searching for the next 45 minutes we saw no meteors.  Driving home we sat in the driveway determined to block out the neighbor's lights and see this spectacular display that had been promised. Jim saw one. Ten minutes later I saw one...I think. It was out of the corner of my eye and by the time I focused it was gone. But I counted it.

Next year for sure.

And that's what I think about it.