Harry's mum?

 

What is it with my house and visitors?

It was about 11:30pm in the summer of 2021 when, home alone, I heard a bang on the front door. I was in bed, but I got out and put the landing light on feeling half asleep, and half concerned. 

    There was another bang and I decided to open the window to see who it was/what they wanted. It's probably important to say that I keep my mobile on silent downstairs where the signal is better, and although the landline hadn’t rung, I thought I should check...

I opened the window and there was a man standing there that I didn't recognise. He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt and had something, quite small, in his hand. 

    I said, ‘Hello?’ 

    To which he replied, “You’re not Harry’s mum, are you?”

    I replied, “No”.

He apologised for disturbing me and said that he was looking for his son who was at a sleepover; he thought this was where the friend he was staying with lived, but he didn't know the number for sure! 

    I then replied, 'Sorry, I can’t help!' Then I closed the window. 

Instantly I thought (with logic creeping in, and my heart pounding a little less, as it had made me a bit jumpy) why hadn’t I asked how old etc? There are some children living nearby - I don't know all names, but I could work out rough ages from seeing them around.

So, I opened the window again - he was still standing there looking around (and confused - I can't see in the dark, there are lights around and one by the door).

    I asked him, 'How old Harry?' 

   He said he was nine, like his son, and then he explained that his son had a toothache, so needed some medicine as he didn't want to come home. The medicine was what was in his hand! 

I went through - in my head - any possible children near and said that I couldn't think of any nearby around that age.

    He then said that he really thought it was here as he'd dropped his son off on the road behind as that's where Harry's mum (and Harry) had been waiting. Therefore, he'd assumed that they lived in one of the houses behind! I then realised I was the first house he'd knocked at due to being on the end!

    I explained that over the other side of the road, there are paths that lead to more houses and as they don’t have road access it was likely that they had waited here to then walk through. 

Next, I asked if he had her number and he said he’d left his phone at home as he lived only a few minutes drive away. He said that he now had no choice and would have to drive home to call her to get the house number, and that his wife would think he was so silly!

    I wished him well on his way and hope that his son felt better when he eventually got his medicine!

To this day, I have never - knowingly - come across a Harry nearby, nor have I seen the man/his wife dropping off his son to visit! Just the sort of thing that happens to me!