D.O.P.-T.

I had to get up early today for an appointment, so I went to bed without my earplugs so that I would be able to hear my alarm. At about midnight I was awakened by a loud noise - something like a whistling kettle going nuts, or squealing brakes. It happened again, but then it stopped so I fell asleep again. Then it woke me up again at about 2 am, and this time it kept happening. It appeared to be coming from just outside the house. I peered out of the window but couldn't see anything. So I put the front door on the "snek" and slipped out in my flannel nightie and flip-flops. The noise was coming from around the side of the house. I padded up the neighbors' driveway and peered over the fence into our side yard. Nothing but plants in the gloom. So I walked back, peering into the thicket of camellias under the side window of my bedroom. Something large exploded out, rustling. Two large raccoons, engaged in copulation. As I watched, they went at it again under the back end of the car parked in our driveway. With more screaming. Then they looked at me and appeared to realize I would have to walk awfully close to them to get back in the house. They decamped up the road to the corner, looking back at me once in reproach. Once out of sight they resumed screaming.