scream it if you have to.

There has been quite a lot of Sheriff traffic on my little street lately. We had a theft, technically a Larceny over $3000 (way. over. meh.), and that whole debacle is still being dealt with.

And yes, I do know it is grammatically incorrect to end a sentence with 'with'. (See, I did it again.)

Also? Homeowner's insurance. Let me not hear those words again for at least a week. Or ninety.

Yesterday afternoon the Sheriff-mobile was across the street at our neighbor's house. No, not the Halloween neighbors. And not the Speedo-in-all-seasons neighbors. The red house, for those of you who are starting to freak because you're local and hi, the dayton time is real good for the local gossip, but not the red house where my in-laws live.

And now that we all know what we're talking about here.

There I go with the prepositions at the ends of sentences. Again.

The Sheriff-mobile was there, and also other vehicles, and men in suits, and a deputy, and they were all going in and out, and out and in. I watched them for a moment, walking, walking, walking. And I knew why they were there.

He didn't go to work. He missed an appointment. He didn't answer the phone. Because he couldn't. Instead of going to work, the appointment, talking to someone, he fixed it so that he would never do any of those things, ever again.

I didn't know because I had seen, or heard, or suspected anything at all. I just knew. For the record.

He was quiet, middle-aged, took great care of his property, didn't leave beer bottles in my yard or anyone else's at Halloween or any other time. He kept to himself.

He didn't tell anyone.

Please, please, please, darlings. Please don't kill yourself. There is help, but nobody can give it to you if they don't know. Please tell someone. I know you're tired. I know it is just so. much. work. People do care. They really do.

National Suicide Hotlines, USA

1.800.784.2433

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

1.800.273.8255

Kristin Brooks Hope Center

The Trevor Project

serving gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual and questioning youth

A State-by-State Listing of Suicide Hotlines