Last night was like many nights. I was up working. The house and neighborhood were still. It was midnight and I was getting ready to shut down for the night.
And then the doorbell rang.
I froze like a deer in the headlights. Midnight calls are never a good thing. Who could it be? I didn’t want to snap off the light and show that I had heard the call and was hiding. I thought, okay, maybe I just imagined it. Who the hell would ring the bell at midnight anyway? The rest of the house was pitch black.
Then the doorbell rang a second time.
My heart started racing. Who could it be? My bizarre ex-boyfriend from a million years ago who still sends me mail? A stranger who actually needed my help (no, it couldn’t be, the bell would ring in a more urgent pattern)? A friend who needed me (no, my phone was on…the people I would open the door for at midnight have my phone number)? A robber or a rapist hoping that someone up at this hour would answer the door thinking it was someone who really needed help?
The doorbell rang a third time.
I still couldn’t get out of my chair. I sat very, very still. A few minutes later I listened to the crunch of snow and ice as the person left. I quietly got out of my chair and listened to the steady breathing of Jon and Laurel from the hallway. I went downstairs to double check that the door was securely locked. I went back upstairs and into Laurel’s room and gently rested my hand on her head. I contemplated sleeping with her because my mama bear radar was all lit up. Then I peeked out her window, grateful for the darkness all around me.
Everything outside was still, wintery, beautiful. Whoever rang the bell had moved on.
It seems pointless to hypothesize about who came to my door at midnight, but I still wish I knew. Would you answer the door at midnight?
January 19th, 2010 at 10:23 am
I would because last time it was a neighbor telling us our headlights were left on, thus saving us from jumpstarting our battery!
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January 19th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Wow, what a great question. Scary. I was scared just reading your post. I think I might have tried to look out a window to see who it was..but no way in hell would I have opened the door. That is just freaky. My husband on the other hand would have opened the door - I know he would have.
I’m glad you didn’t. It’s better wondering who it was and being safe than having an alternate ending.
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January 19th, 2010 at 10:28 am
While I can understand how these things feel scary at midnight, in the harsh light of morning it seems kind of silly to me. Why wouldn’t you at least go to peek? Maybe someone’s car broke down and they saw your light on and thought you could call AAA for them. Maybe a neighbor unexpectedly ran out of diapers. Maybe someone saw that your car lights were on and wanted to warn you. I can think of any number of explanations where you SHOULD answer the door, and the ones where you shouldn’t seem really unlikely. So yes, I would. If nothing else, the curiosity would kill me!
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January 19th, 2010 at 10:55 am
I would have and actually did last night! Okay, so it was 11PM, not midnight, but close enough! Turns out that the knock I heard at the door was no one, but I don’t even think I’d buttoned my pants before I opened the door! I’m sure that there is some happy medium between our two situations!
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January 19th, 2010 at 11:01 am
Hey folks, thanks for your thoughtful comments. Lest you think I’m completely crazy and/or a total wuss, I should also probably add that I’ve had some restraining order type people in my life, plus we live in a (wonderfully) diverse/mixed SES neighborhood… so I tend to operate a little more cautiously in general.
Car point is a good one. Ours lives in a garage though, so that wouldn’t be a concern.
Finally, I tend to be an instinct person and the vibe didn’t feel emergency-ridden, just creepy.
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January 19th, 2010 at 11:19 am
I’d say this is a sign you should find a good way to be able to see who’s at your front door. I don’t like putting my eye up the the peephole — somehow it seems to be placing myself (especially my eye!) way too close to an unknown situation. We figured out which window in the house can give us a good glimpse, so that’s where I go to look when the doorbell rings unexpectedly.
My guess is that there was a person outside who needed some help (maybe a dead car (and cell phone) battery) who wanted to use the phone and saw your light on. Clearly it wasn’t urgent enough to absolutely require assistance from someone inside your house.
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January 19th, 2010 at 11:22 am
You made the right decision. I’m not opening the door for anyone at midnight!
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January 19th, 2010 at 11:23 am
I would, but I would have my phone in my hand and get my husband up first. I wouldn’t necessarily *open* the door, but I would ask who it was and what they needed.
The times the doorbell has rung late at night have often resulted in helping someone who was nervous about ringing the bell so late at night but who needed the help. It usually involved borrowing the phone.
That said, listening to your instincts is vital. You know your street and your town. Is your house the likely stop for someone in trouble? Did they just see the light on? Was it a late-night friend who doesn’t have a watch? Your instincts are what keep you safe and you should not override them. I often sneak into E’s room for a cuddle when I’m up late and I’ve read the paper or watched the news. That mama bear thing is powerful.
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January 19th, 2010 at 11:32 am
Having received (and not answered) one of those late-night, bad-news phone calls, I would have gone to the door.
If you think this might happen again, you might be interested in a doorbell/intercom system, like this: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100596856&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=100596856&cm_mmc=shopping-_-googlebase-_-D27X-_-100596856
Or if Jon wants to get his geek hat back on, there’s the webcam option ….
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January 19th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Hells no. That’s reason number 36 why I got married. (After spiders, light bulbs up high, snow shoveling, and garbage day.)
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January 19th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
I would not answer the door at that time of night. Never. I barely answer the door during the day if I am not expecting someone.
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January 19th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
I wouldn’t have answered it either… But I would have also been terrified. We had a recent scare late at night. A sick kid woke up. Husband randomly looked out the window and a van was in front of our house (like 130 AM during the week after xmas) He turned all the lights on to show that we were home and checked all the doors downstairs. Then the guy left - but backed up in reverse up the street so we couldn’t see the license plate. Spooky!
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January 19th, 2010 at 9:30 pm
Oh, how creepy!! I definitely would not have opened the door! Having experienced some of life’s nastiness, I suppose I have my guard up a little more than most, but I’m in complete agreement that a knock on the door at midnight is NEVER a good thing. If it were someone in need, they could always go to a main street & find a local police officer on duty - which is the safest bet for all involved. So, I totally think you did the right thing - and I totally would have gone in to snuggle my little one, too! Trust your instincts!!
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January 19th, 2010 at 10:13 pm
I would never have answered the door! Better safe than sorry. I’m skeptical even during the day!
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January 19th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
I thought at first that I would answer it or wake up my husband to do it, but then after reading the comments (and particularly your clarification in the comments) I’ve changed my mind. That being said, I’m single and live in a secure apartment building and almost never open the door AFTER DARK unless I’m expecting anyone, so my momentary impulse to open the door in your situation is completely against character.
I also put a lot of trust in intuition, and I know yours is spot on so good call. If the wondering drives you crazy, invent a really elaborate fantasy person to inhabit the role - maybe one of those aliens from Galaxy Quest.
Sleep well tonight.
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January 21st, 2010 at 10:08 am
Oh, I’m right there with you. Whenever I’m alone and the doorbell rings I worry. First peer into the street (it’s usually FedEx or UPS), and if no truck and I’m not expecting anyone, I’m likely not to answer it. Terrible to be this way, but sadly better than the alternative. I think if it’d been me in this case I would’ve woken Ev and made him get the door, just to appease my curiosity
You’re just a nice wife.
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January 22nd, 2010 at 1:33 am
Hell’s no! Even if it was someone looking for help, I hate to admit this, I still wouldn’t have answered the door. The safety of your family comes first so I’m right there with you not answering the door.
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