Domestic Disturbance

It's 1:50 a.m. and unwillingly, I am pulled out of a nonsense dream and lifted up to semi-consciousness. It is dark and quiet and I am sandwiched between Steve and Julia (3) who finds her way in my bed every night. The more awake I become, the more noise I hear through the open crack in our bedroom window. I hear a man who is definitely irate! He is screaming and yelling and dropping one "F" bomb after another. He sounds a bit distant, but close enough for me to hear his outrage. After going on for quite a while, he yells at his wife or girlfriend who is obviously inside the house (he from the sound of it, is outside). He continues his yelling only now he's calling her some pretty degrading things. I can't hear her. He goes on to start yelling at a third person, a man, inside the house with his girl. Without repeating the vulgarity, he screams at this man over and over to "get out of his house!"

All of the commotion has caused a young dog to start barking (I could tell it was young by it's bark...like Rocky's). The dog barks for a few moments and then begins to yelp and howl and screech as if it was being badly hurt.

It goes quiet for a moment and then more yelling. The man obviously got inside 'cause his voice was not as clear but I heard BANG, SMASH, BANG SMASH. Some more yelling and then I couldn't hear anymore.

I lay there wide-awake now, but not wanting to move and disturb my sleeping ones. I felt so bad. I felt bad for the irate man, thinking how overcome with hurt and betrayal he must feel. I felt bad for the girl who maybe had to live with an abusive man. I felt bad for the second man who sounded like he was going to be in physical danger, and I felt bad for that dog. I felt bad for their neighbours and how awkward and frightened they must have felt. I felt I needed to pray but I didn't know at that moment what to say. So, I let the HS do his work and interpret the inner groaning of my being.

This happened Friday morning and it has been on my mind ever since. I wonder at what point do you call the authorities to intervene? I am sure someone closer did, at least I hope so.