Okay, so I haven't had time to write this week (more on that later) so here, I will catch up, since it's been partially insane.

Last weeked was a total and complete bust. Friday night I did nothing. I sat in here (the study) and attempted to engage equally-bored Katlin in texted conversation. FAIL, because there are only so many times that I can (jokingly!) suggest she check Asher for the antichrist birthmark.

Then, on Saturday, I was supposed to take Tyler into town to buy school supplies. While I was getting ready, Ethan called and said he was in Conway. Oh neat, I thought, perhaps my old school chum would like to rendez-vous with my brother and I, and we can have pleasant conversation, and perhaps even watch a non-blurry Tropic Thunder (I'm still relatively convinced that my brother would LOVE it.) So, I finish getting ready, and pick Emma back up, determined to actually read the assignments this year in Lit. A few moments later, Tyler pokes his head in the door.

TYLER: WHY'RE YOU ALL DRESSED UP?
ME: I'M NOT.
TYLER: WHERE'RE YOU GOIN'?
ME: I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO CONWAY TO GET YOUR STINKIN SCHOOL SUPPLIES. ETHAN'S MEETING US THERE, BY THE WAY.
TYLER: HE IS?
ME: YEAH.
TYLER: WELL I DON'T WANNA GO ANYMORE.
ME: WHAT? WHY?
TYLER: I DON'T WANNA.
ME: WELL WHAT DO I DO NOW?
TYLER: YOU AND ETHAN DON'T NEED ME AROUND TO HAVE FUN. THAT'S WEIRD.

So I called Ethan, explained that my brother is an idgit, and asked him what he wanted to do, if he wanted me to just drive down there.

"Save your gas. I'll come by later."

Oookay. Ethan did come by (later). We watched videos on YouTube, until we were both so bored that Ethan said he was needed at home. "I would, like, invite you over, but I left Rock Band in Russellville." Uh huh. I completely understand, buddy. I wouldn't have wanted me around either!

It's also worth nothing that on this day, my dad suggested, in all seriousness, that if I brought Batman (our dumb Jack Russel terrier, not the brooding creature of the night) to UCA with me, I would probably have more friends. "Everyone loves Batman," he said. "They'd be linin' up to pet him." Thanks, pop.

Sunday me and Mom took the little brat (Tyler, not Batman) to get his school supplies. We also ate some Burger King. But that was only during the day. The Big Plan for Sunday night was for me, Ethan, Tyler, Katlin, and Hannah all to go see the UCA outdoor showing of Iron Man. Slowly, but surely, that fell apart as well. The first three of us actually made it to the campus, but the Beenes were detained at a dinner with some nice people from our church congregation (so I can't, like, dog on them or anything). Once we got to the football stadium, we looked around. There were... football players. Not persons setting up a large screen-like thing, or a projector, or even any students milling around with bottles of Red Bull. I (in my stupidity!) assumed that the movie had simply been moved indoors, where they did the movies last year (I saw Pirates 3 there with Lauren. Gah, I just realized how badly I miss Captain Jack!). So we all hiked clear across the massive campus, climbed up to the second story of the student center, made our way to the Ballroom, and.... nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero. Tyler called one of HIS UCA peeps (Tyler has more UCA peeps than I do, mainly because Tyler has more peeps in general) who said that the new sign in his dorm said that the show was scheduled for Monday night.

So we all loaded up and went to the Waffle House. Tyler gorged himself, while Ethan and I tried politely to keep the butter on our chocolate chip waffles from dribbling down our faces.

The next night, we did meet up--again--to see the movie--again. It was a ton of fun! They (the SAB) had a big, inflatable screen set up, and since we were among the first (but certainly not the only) people to show up, Ethan and I got to sit up front (on my old comforter, which is run over with green flames. I kid you not. I had very eccentric taste as a young teenager). Ethan got some free drinks (but couldn't find a bathroom) but wasn't hungry for the free pizza and popcorn, since we'd just been to La Huerta (which is fun to pronounce: La WHER-tah). The movie remains as fun as it ever was (even the third time around). I loved that the part that got the biggest reaction was Pepper telling the reporter that she sometimes takes out the trash. :D

I did notice that Ethan kept twitching all through the flick, which Ethan, like me, is NOT apt to do. Usually, we're the Movie Zombies, who hardly blink when something's onscreen and wouldn't know if a nuclear bomb went off three aisles away. But he was definitely scooting around, rearranging himself, and glancing off to the side. Very un-Ethan-like behavior. Then, he whipped out his phone and started to tap out a text message. In short, Ethan's comfort zome was being invaded by some boys next to him who were, let's just say, not watching the movie. I looked over, and saw three guys practically sitting on top of each other.

"It's possible," I said, "that they are just really, really secure in their masculinity."

"Yeah right," he replied and scooted even more.

Once the movie was over, Ethan and I went back out to his car, not even sticking around to watch the cameo with That Which Improves All Movies. And we waited for my brother for a FREAKING HOUR. (This is really turning into the Hate on Tyler blog, isn't it?) He was exploring his friend's dormitories, and having a good laugh about us calling him every ten minutes to make sure he hadn't been gutted by a thug in the courtyard (which was unlikely, of course, it was a college campus, but still, had he been gutted, I would've been responsible).

Nothing else of interest happened until yesterday. In the interest of saving time, I will copy and paste (however illegal that may be. It's not like anyone ever reads this thing anyway): 

By RACHEL PARKER DICKERSON
LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

ENOLA - A manhunt that lasted most of the day came to an end when the Faulkner County Sheriff's Office arrested Melvin Maples about 5 p.m. Thursday.

Secret Service agents came to interview Maples about 9:30 a.m. Thursday at his mother's home on Highway 310, where he lives, according to Major Andy Shock of the sheriff's office.

According to Faulkner County Sheriff Karl Byrd, the sheriff's office has a history with Maples, and recently he has been displaying evidence of mental problems.

"He has called us with strange calls, 'This is Kenny Chesney. Someone stole my tour bus.' Or, 'This is Lt. Gary Moore. I found Kenny Chesney's tour bus in a shed.'"

Byrd reported Maples apparently was infatuated with one of President Bush's daughters. The sheriff's office would not say what Maples did to arouse the interest of the Secret Service.

Shock said Maples told the Secret Service agents he had a handgun and would kill them and ran into the woods.

In downtown Enola, a small crowd gathered in the shade outside Wooley's Grocery as the sheriff's office, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), local police, state police, highway police and other agencies formed a large perimeter. The nearby Mount Vernon-Enola School was locked down as a precaution.

"We feel confident he's in this perimeter," Shock said. "He is being considered armed and dangerous."

Clara Wooley ran Wooley Grocery 34 years with her husband, the late Jim Wooley, detective for the Faulkner County Sheriff's Office. Her daughter, Rhonda Cox runs the store now, but Wooley still helps. The store is, in a way, the heartbeat of the community, Wooley said.

Standing behind the store's sandwich counter, Wooley said, "We're getting numerous calls wanting to know what's going on," she said. "They're concerned for their kids. I've just been telling them the kids are safe, They're on lockdown not to worry about them."

Wooley said Enola is a close-knit community where everyone knows each other. Several residents throughout the day said they never lock their doors. The events of the day were quite unusual for the town, she said.

"Living with a police officer, it's normal for me, but it's different. It doesn't happen very often," she said.

Cox said, "Andy Shock said people out here don't call 9-1-1, they call Wooley's. Daddy was always here, and it's just a habit for people to call and see what's going on."

Dana Free was at home in Mount Vernon when her daughter who lives in Conway called and asked her what was going on. When she heard there was a manhunt in progress, she wanted to be as close as possible to her 12-year-old daughter who was in school just down the road.

"I waited as long as I could," she said, standing outside the store. "I knew I couldn't get her, but I felt safer knowing I was closer. Sitting at home, you only get what they say on the news. Here I'm closer, getting the details as they occur."

Oh, and, THIS is hilarious:

Troy Weatherley, a lifelong Enola resident, was sitting outside the store. He said of the suspect, "I think he picked the wrong time to go running through the woods and knocking on doors. Generally people around here don't call 9-1-1 'til the shooting's over.

"This is definitely excitement for this town. It goes to show you, you never know who's next door," Weatherley said.

God bless Troy.

 

At 3:30 p.m., Byrd announced he was calling off the manhunt.

"Hopefully if we withdraw, (the situation) will de-escalate to the point he'll resurface," he said. "Our people are out in the heat, exerted. We could go all day and not find him. We're starting to put (officers) at risk. They're carrying 40 pounds of gear, bulletproof vests, in wooded areas in all this heat."

An interview with Maples' mother revealed additional information, Byrd said.

"Even though he said earlier he had a gun, she said he doesn't have one," he said. Maples' mother also indicated he has never become physically violent, only verbally combative, and that only happens when someone questions his delusions, Byrd said.

"According to family members, he is extremely delusional," he said.

After the manhunt was called off, a police presence remained in the area Maples was taken into custody at his mother's home around 5 p.m.

Shock said an investigation revealed Maples had no friends in the area and no cell phone, and so the only logical conclusion was that he would return home.

"We wanted him to get comfortable and come home, and that's what happened," he said.

Shock said Maples has allegedly claimed to be an undercover FBI agent and made calls to Washington, D.C. He said he will be charged with criminal impersonation and fleeing as well as having some misdemeanor warrants served on him.

"We're coordinating with the prosecutor to get a commitment hearing tomorrow to get him some help," Shock added.