Progress?

He heard the strange noises again. He had been awakened several times that night by the usual noises--dogs barking, cars going by and creaks and cracks of the house. But were these other sounds the usual house noises or something else? He had been telling himself all along that it was the house just settling. Also, the change from winter to summer temperatures--the kinds of things that affect wood and the entire structure--the expanding and contracting of it all. In the back of his mind, though, he wondered; he knew the house was fifteen years old. All that settling should be done by now.

He had bought the house new and knew it had no weird history or anything for him to check back on. No one had died here or anything traumatic like that. He had finished the basement himself, leveling the dirt in the crawl space and putting down a wood floor to make a cleaner storage area. In short, he knew this house from crawl space to attic.

Then, a few weeks ago, after being away for a few days, he found one of seven small baskets he had hung on the kitchen wall on the kitchen table. No big thing really, but why had it not fallen onto the floor or one of the chairs? The nail was still there so he re-hung it. That night he awoke to a new sound and went to see what it was. The very same basket, the middle one, had fallen again. This time it was on the chair. Okay, so why this time did it land on the chair? If it was just not hung well, why didn't it fall to the same spot? Even more strange, he thought, it had hung perfectly fine for six or seven years; why was this happening now?

Everything else was all right, so he checked the small nail. It seemed secure, so he let it slide as coincidence and went back to bed. He found he had to think about other things to help him relax and be able to fall back asleep. It didn't work this time so he went to the garage to have a smoke. He knew he had to quit cigarettes, but they helped him relax sometimes. He went back inside and had a glass of juice and did a few pushups. These actions had worked in the past to make him tired enough to get back to sleep after waking in the middle of the night.

He did fall asleep and dreamed a surprising dream about a place he knew as a kid. He was raised on a farm in the Midwest, and about a mile and a half away was a small creek with huge trees all along it. In the stream were minnows and crayfish and the usual small critters. Along its banks were slides that the beaver used to drag limbs and building material for their dams. Muskrats, raccoon, weasels, even a few mink, and deer were there, also. He loved to ride his bike to the stream and hunt a few rabbits or squirrels.

When he awoke, he felt terrible as he thought about the place. He had moved away from the farm fifteen years ago to take a new job and had bought this house. About five years ago, he remembered hearing talk about someone taking out all the trees along that creek. That was years after the beaver dams had been blasted because they caused the flooding of surrounding fields. He also had heard that someone had bought much of the surrounding properties and had other plans for it. At the time, he felt should talk to someone back there and let the newcomer know what would be destroyed. One thing after another came along with his new job and months passed. Then he heard that it had happened. The trees were all gone and development was starting.

He lay there now, feeling guilty, and wondering if he could have made any difference at all. But he had to let it go and get ready for work. He went into the kitchen and there was a bowl on the table. He slowly walked to it, knowing he had not left it there. It was half full of cereal and milk! This was getting too weird, but at least what was happening was not violent.

At work he couldn't stop thinking of the noises and the objects moving. Was something trying to get his attention or what? Well, if that was it, it was working!

At break time he thought a little chat with work buddies and a cup of coffee was what he needed. He sat down at the table and saw the day's local newspaper someone had left behind. Front page, bold letters, there it was again. The hot topic about damming a local river for a reservoir! He felt a chill run up his spine. His buddies came in with the usual conversations about sports and such, but his mind was elsewhere.

The day went slowly as he thought about the creek and the river. He saw a raccoon that had been run over on the city street. He saw a doe and fawn on the edge of town where he was working. Things just seemed to be all tied together somehow but he couldn't put his finger on it.

He went home and had a couple of beers, ate dinner and went to bed early, tired from the lack of sleep the night before. It was a nice, cool night for the summertime. The few clouds seemed so low, like you could almost touch them. He read an outdoor magazine for a while and soon was fast asleep.

He awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of a gentle rain and a slight breeze. In this semiarid climate, rain was always welcome and he liked to watch it. He missed the heavy rains he knew as a boy in the Midwest. He looked out his bedroom window and the street lights slightly lit his yard. Under the trees, yes, there were formations in the clouds. He rubbed his eyes. They looked like critters! Deer, raccoon, and all the rest! They seemed to be sitting down as though waiting, wondering. Some had arms or hands held towards him. Others, their arms were crossed as though waiting for him to do something. This had to be a dream! He went back to bed and fell asleep after a half hour of tossing and turning.

In the morning, on top of the stove, were the drip catchers from under each of the four burners, all neatly stacked one inside the other. These things that seemed to be happening had something to do with food. He had the day off, so he poured his coffee and got the paper. Another article on the front page about a new dam! A meeting for anyone interested would be held at ten that very morning.

He couldn't help thinking there was a meaning to all of this, and he didn't have any plans anyway that couldn't wait. He went to the meeting and told of his experience with the boyhood creek and what had since happened to the creek. After the meeting, he went home and did the usual household chores as the day slipped away. Funny, how at ease he felt. Perhaps because this time he had done a little something at least. He went to bed and awoke to the same gentle rain and breeze. He looked out the window again and the critters were standing there and seemed to have little smiles on their faces. Then they simply floated up into the clouds and were gone.

He fell right back to sleep while wondering what the next morning would bring. When he awoke again, he realized the rest of the night had been quiet, and he felt the best rested in a long time. When he got up, nothing was out of place and all was well. He hoped all was going to be well for all of the critters, too!