While standing in the bathroom this evening, brushing my teeth, Riley suddenly leapt to his feet and began barking at some random noise. Riley's barking alerted Lacie who let out a warning woof or two of her own.

"Who's there?" Michelle asked the alert duo.

Hearing Michelle's open question, I reached over and knocked on the wall beside the sink. As expected, both animals went crazy, running for the steps as they barked and howled their dubious warnings. What I didn't expect, however, was just how complete my ruse would turn out to be.

"Who's at the door?" Michelle asked down the hallway, quickly adding, "Who's at the door this late?"

With my mouth full of toothpaste, I grunted a muffled answer, reached over, and rapped my knuckles on the wall a second time.

Again, the dogs went crazy. Figuring Michelle had figured out my ruse, however, I was surprised when I heard her feet hit the floor.

"You want me to get it?" she asked. Stifling a laugh, I grunted an answer of indifference.

Michelle pounded down the steps with the dogs growling and barking behind her. From the bathroom, I heard her pushing them back from the door as she turned on the outside light and moved the curtains aside. Wrestling with the dogs and trying to figure out who was outside, she opened the door and took a few steps outside.

No one was there.

"Who would be knocking on our door this late at night?" she shouted up the stairs.

I finished rinsing the toothpaste from my mouth, wiped the water from my hands, and leaned out into the hallway. Michelle was standing downstairs, peering up the stairs waiting for an answer. I reached over to the wall, made a loose fist, and knocked three times.

Michelle rolled her eyes. "You think you're so funny," was her only comment as she disappeared into the kitchen.

Actually, yes. Yes I do.