In Threes

Ok, in my life things always happen in threes.  And generally the good balances the bad.  It's really time for some major good things please.  Really, really major good things!

Yup, I'm grumpy today.

While I still have to laugh about yesterday, I'm still not enjoying the bruises I have down one leg from it.  It seems my leg and the sill didn't like each other, so the front half of one thigh has 9 bruises from the sill.  They go from the top of my thigh to just at the bottom of my knee.  They probably wouldn't bother me so much except it's That Day of the month.  So I'm pretty much sore from just below my shoulder blades down.  By tomorrow morning most of it will be gone and I'll feel much better.  And then I'll be in a much better mood.

And then we had to go look for the glasses that munchkin lost while running yesterday.  And no we didn't find them.  My girlfriend is going to look again.  Sometimes different eyes see things mine miss.

Yesterday, while visiting my girlfriend, munchkin got out and ran away.  We weren't far behind him so he wasn't going to get far.  But about 20 feet from her driveway we observed a new behavior.  He stopped.  Then he looked around like he was confused/lost.  Then he got scared.  He started crying and ran back down her driveway trying to find where he had been.  We directed him back into her yard where he promptly went to one section and closed the gate with himself on the inside!  And he didn't try to get out again!  In fact, he didn't want to get out when it was time to go.  And when she and I spent some time talking at the car, he tried to go back!

When I discussed it with another girlfriend, we came to the conclusion that he had realized that he didn't know where he was, which was the source of the fear.  And as a result, he tried to get back to somewhere familiar, which was the rest of the behavior.  But now I'm not so sure.  Today we followed the path he ran in order to look for his glasses.  Even with me at his side, he got only as far as he did yesterday before he started getting really upset.  When we turned around he pulled me along to get back to my girlfriend's house.  He got upset every time he thought we were going back down the street that direction!  Even when he could hear kids laughing and playing in one of the yards, which would normally attract him.

Now munchkin has some things that trigger fears or upset.  Buildings that look like schools or doctor's offices are his normal ones.  During really bad periods this translates to any brick type building that he hasn't been in regularly - like the Hancock Fabrics I use.  But there is not anything on that street that even vaguely resembles something that would trigger him.  And random unknown areas don't trigger fears/upset if I'm with him.  He'll get cautious and walk closer to me but he won't get this upset.

And even when a building triggers him, my presence normally abates the fear some.  This time it didn't.  He spazzed in the car when I decided to drive that way to see if I could figure it out.

So now I'm left wondering what it is that he is hearing/smelling/whatever that is setting him off.  What it is that I am missing.  I'm going to call my girlfriend on Monday and see if she might have a thought or two.  It's probably something that hasn't triggered in so long that I've forgotten about it.  If talking to her doesn't help me figure it out, I may go walk the area by myself.  When I'm not having to focus on his fear I'm better able to focus on what's around that may be a trigger.  Then I can work with him to narrow it down, and hopefully, eliminate it.

I would prefer that he not run, and that he would realize the danger and come back willingly any time it does happen.  And that has slowly, oh so slowly, occurring.  But I don't want him terrified of things.  So I have to find and help him deal with the trigger, if possible.  But maybe he's also realized that random running way isn't such a good idea!

Well, here's hoping that you are having a better day than I am.  And here's hoping that I will be having Much better days in immediate, and further out, future.  (with bad things gone away, please!)