So the other night we took the laptop out on the deck. Because it was gorgeous and lovely outside in the evenings!
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| Rather picturesque, wouldn't you say? |
We were out there for about an hour watching The Offices. Around ten, the mosquitoes became immune to the citronella candle and swarmed us. So we went inside to finish the current episode. We had been inside for about ten minutes when I saw a flash out of the corner of my eye, just outside the window. When I turned, Jake was looking, too.
"What was that?"
"Somebody's in our yard!"
At first I thought, "Oh, that's interesting." Then I snapped and thought, "What?!?!"
So I looked, and he was gone. Assuming he was walking through the yard, I ran to the front window. He wasn't there. But then he came walking around the corner of the house. I shouted at Jake that he was out front. I could hear Jake rummaging for something but I didn't know if it was a flashlight or the gun.
The guy walked right up to the garage and turned the doorknob. He was interested when it turned, and kind of did a back track and did it again trying to push it open. Luckily, it was dead bolted! He continued back around to the back, making a full circle of the house. I saw him out the bedroom window.
Ya know how when you have somebody come to your house for a service call like the cable guy, or a roofer, or the gas man? And before he starts working, he kind of does a quick overview of the situation, whether it's the roof or where there's trees, or whatever? Well, that's what this guy was doing. He stood there and was looking at the roof and the house. I don't know how he didn't see us watching him.
At this point, we were headed back out onto the deck, Jake shined the flashlight directly in his face and said something, I don't remember what. And the guys said, "Just walking through."
Whatever! This guy was not walking through! I think he stopped at our house because we didn't have any lights on and it looked like there wasn't anybody home. Because it was still pretty warm, all the windows were closed. If they had been open, he would have heard Jake and I calling back and forth to each other.
He turned and kept walking into the darkness. I called the
Sheriff (Alpine doesn't have a police department anymore), and they got
here pretty quickly. While we waited, we stood on the deck and the
front porch watching to see where he was going. About ten minutes after
all of this, we saw him cross the highway in the opposite direction.
I know he didn't actually get into the house, and he didn't break anything, he didn't hurt us, he didn't do anything really. But I am still freaking out about this. I am afraid to leave the windows open at night. Which is horrible because the house needs to cool off at night. I'm afraid that while we're sleeping, he's going to come back, mad at us because we called the police on him. I'm afraid that while we're gone, he's going to come back and force his way in.
The first night was the easiest because I knew he had taken off in the other direction. Subsequent nights haven't been as easy. What if he keeps trying?
Is this totally irrational??? It could have been so much worse. I know in my head that we are more than likely never going to see that man again. I know that it was more than likely random. We're the house on the end, the first house you come to. The first house you try the locks to see if you get get in. He was non-confrontational. He kept moving, he wasn't aggressive.
While I was training for my ride I often rode by this old, run down house by the lake. One day I saw a guy standing next to the house. He was pretty clean and well dressed, wore a hat, and a plaid shirt. I wondered if he was the homeless guy that lived in the house. Well, this guy that came through had on a plaid shirt, and he sort of reminded me of this guy.
I wouldn't swear that it was him, but it has definitely crossed my mind. Was this guy looking for somewhere to sleep for the night? Had he done it before and that's why he tried it? I am not super reliable on locking the doors (I am now!). But why would he try the garage and not the house?
Once again, I know he didn't get in, and I know that we are okay. It's just the thought that someone even tried!
Help me! Please tell me nice thoughts and help me get over this.
