The Proverbial Hot Seat

As newlyweds we moved to Houston, where the traffic was insane. I was finishing college there, and it made the commute a royal pain. My husband told me emphatically to never park out in the road, But one week he was out of town, and I figured he wouldn’t know. I went next door to visit a friend, then suddenly we heard a loud bang. It was gunfire, and shots that had ominously rang. We looked out the window and it was utter chaos. My van was being used as a shield, and the cops were in a face-off. My heart was pounding as I thought of my poor van in the street, Knowing when my husband found out, I would be in the proverbial hot seat. Luck was on my side, and my van escaped without a scratch, But it made the nightly news about the perilous shooting match. I decided since there was no damage, I would just keep quiet. About six months later I told my husband and broke my duplicitous silence. He said, “I told you so,” and lectured me on where to park. I vowed not to park there again, silently wishing I had left him in the dark.