The red, white and black jacket hovered mysteriously outside my bedroom window, under the old tree. It had been there for about a week, and it didn't appear to be going anywhere any time soon. By the way, what's black and white, and read all over?

I asked my dad about the jacket, and he told me that it was something I'd just have to get used to.

"But why is it there?"

"It just is, son."

"Have you seen it here before?"

"No, I haven't."

"Doesn't it strike you as sort of... odd?"

"Not really."

Throughout the entire conversation, my dad didn't even look over the top of his newspaper.

When I asked my mom about the jacket, she told me to go ask my dad.

"I already asked him."

"What did he say?"

"He told me to get used to it."

"Yes, that sounds about right. Get used to it."

Throughout the entire conversation, my mom never stopped playing Solitaire on the computer.

I would have asked my brother about the jacket, but he was too busy working on his "bitchin'" Camaro, as he called it.

I kept an eye on the jacket, and other than swaying gently in the breeze, the darn thing never moved an inch.

Concerned that we were being haunted, I did a bit of research at the library, but most of the books about mysterious jackets had been checked out, and the only one left on the shelf was missing about thirteen pages. I bet those were the pages that would have explained this most curious mystery.

I'm looking out the window right now, and the red, white and black jacket is still hovering right where it's been. I have gotten used to it, but I still wonder from time to time just what the heck it's doing out there.

I may never find out.