The Midnight Four-Wheeler Invasion

I guess it was really more like 12:30, but that's not half as interesting as far as a title goes.

I was still up reading, enjoying the precious nights when I can indulge as much as I want to in the written word without having to worry about waking up at some ridiculous hour the next morning.  It was so late that even the fairly busy road I live on was quiet.  Then, as has happened several times lately, I heard the unmistakable sound of a four-wheeler engine.

I've stopped reacting to this.  Somebody, several somebodies, actually, has been running up and down the road on them late at night lately. It could be idiot children who are not being supervised, too young for cars, maybe.  I've seen a herd of them in Podunk "circling the wagons" in the church parking lot before heading out again.  I know that once, I went out and drove down the road to make sure they weren't cutting up through my pasture, and a whole flock of teenagers in trucks drove away quickly from where they were trespassing on somebody else.  It's just a joy.  The kind that makes you want to put out roofing tacks and spike strips.

Anyway.

Last night's edition of the stupidity involved hearing the engines come up the road and then stop.  As I said, it's become so common that I mostly don't even pay attention any more.  Then, breaking the quiet, I heard....music.  MUSIC.  That was profoundly unnerving.  For them to be so close to the house that I could hear the words of the song was distressing.  And yet, neither Chewie nor Roux was barking, so I had to assume nobody was standing in my backyard.  I lay still, listening, trying to decide whether or not I needed to go outside or go to my window or what, and as I was debating it, I heard the engines again.

It was disconcerting.  I stayed up awhile trying to settle jumpy nerves, and I finally got to sleep.  While I like where I live for sentimental reasons, I have often wished I actually lived at our property farther back in the country.  Maybe if I did, I wouldn't have to deal with these midnight riders.