Someone heard her screaming

Standing in just her bathrobe, Marie barely had time to catch her breath before someone came running - a young girl in a baseball cap and a sports T-shirt, looking ready to spring into action with her phone hefted in one hand. It was the neighbor's 19-year old daughter. Marie had barely met her before, didn't know a name, and now blushed in embarrassment both at her predicament and at her panicked, girlish screaming that had drawn such attention.

"What's wrong? Do I call the cops? What?" the girl said, staring around wild-eyed as if expecting a burglar or a fire. Marie bit her tongue. Tell the girl it was just an insect? That would be the truth, and also the sensible thing to do. But she didn't like admitting her childhood fears. She was supposed to be a role model, an adult next door, an independent woman running her own business.

"Uh..." Marie started, her mind racing for some excuse. "I- er- there was an animal."

"An animal? Something dangerous? A bobcat?"

"Right," Marie agreed quickly, "A bobcat. I closed the door to trap it."

"Inside the house? You shouldn't deal with that yourself," the girl nodded sagely. "I'll call for help."