Scary Moment

I got home from work this morning and took care of some housekeeping items for a couple of hours. Driving up to the house, I noticed that my lawn was awash in brown leaves and decided to get them out of the way before the West Texas wind machine added another 3 inches of dead leaves tomorrow. So, I ventured out back sometime shortly after 10 am to get the rake and the trash can and went through the gate on the side of the house to head out front.

The first thing I notice is the screen on my neighbors house was lying on the ground in a twisted heap.

Second thing was the storm window was open.

Third thing was hand prints in the dust on the inner window.

Fourth thing was their gate was open.

O.K. those things aren't normal. As I walk around to the front of my house and start to rake leaves, a stranger walks across my neighbors lawn and starts heading down a cross street. Then a strange car parked across the way picks him up and then takes off down the road.

I'm scared $*@%less. After running in the house and dialing 911, two cops showed up and started to investigate matters.

Yup, my neighbors house was broken in to this morning. After the cops did their search and I gave them what little info I could give, the only thing they could figure out was either a door was left unlocked or a family member committed the crime. The scariest thing was that I apparently startled them in the middle of their attempt.

So now I am STILL scared $*@%less. Every little noise I hear, every shadow on the sunroof, every gust of wind freaks me out. The culprit or culprits probably got a good look at me but I didn't get a good look at them. No matter what I do, it feels as if the locks aren't good enough, the latches on the windows aren't strong enough, and the visibility around my house isn't good enough for my neighbors to keep watch on my house.

My neighbors were extremely grateful that I did call 911 and in talking with them they said nothing like this had happened in the 15 years they've lived in the neighborhood.

There is a first time for everything...