Robbed

Sometimes I think keep my car messy by design. I convince myself that I know where everything is that way. It’s a mess but an orderly mess. It’s my mess. So when something is disturbed in my mess I know it. Case in point, this morning, it was an early morning I had to catch a train to Vancouver. I got an early start. I opened the door to my car and all my insurance papers and the contents of my glove compartment were on the passenger seat. AARGH! I’ve been robbed again! Quickly I sort through the mess to see what is there and isn’t there. Insurance papers . . . check. Running magazines . . . check. Loose change in the door . . .gone! iPod case . . .check! iPod case! Oh No my iPod my beloved iPod how could I be so careless. I never ever leave my iPod in the car. But yesterday I came home early and ran some errands. I got a big bag of dog food, met Jenny at the grocery store, and took the kids to swimming while she went to Costco. So last night I had to unload my kids, dog food, groceries, and lap top it was pouring rain so I made it quick. No excuses I should have got my iPod (when I remembered) and locked the door. It was a costly mistake. So at this point in the morning I dropped an F bomb.

I continued to sort through my stuff to see the stuff he didn’t take. First Aid kit, emergency roadside kit, Laundry Test Kit, hard hat, Finding Nemo DVD on the floor, gloves, label maker, inverter, and safety glasses were all there. There were a few redeeming graces the robber left behind.

I would have to say I think my car was unlocked I’m guessing it was unlocked because there were no signs of forced entry. To be honest, I’m terrible for locking my car I usually remember at the most inopportune time. For example, the last time I got my car broken into I was pulling away from the train station. My car was in the train station lot and I remembered as we pulled away from the station. I called Jenny right away but it was 5:30 in the morning and it was about 7 before she called me back. It was about 7:30 before she drove by to actually lock it. But that was too late. Sunglasses, DVD player, and loose change were all gone.

The other time I got my car broken into was years ago when I had a Jeep. It was a Jeep so I practically expected to lose a few things.

I remember the first time I got something stolen from me. I must have been about nine years old. I walked out my front door to my open garage just in time to see a kid riding off on my 5 speed bicycle. I was in a daze. The kid took off down the street. I ran back inside and cried to my brother. Bryan was always a little more adept into handling situations like this. He immediately without another word got on his bike and went down the street after him. I wasn’t there when he caught him but he did catch him. I’m not entirely sure what he did to him either but he got my bike back. Situation resolved and recorded in my memory banks.

It is hard not to be cynical when things like this happen. I’m a very trusting person I believe people are inherently good in spite of events like today. One of Jenny’s biggest pet peeves is I always forget to lock the front door after I come in. What could possibly happen? Not that I would ever forget to do this before I turned in for the night, it is just those times during the day. I can remember growing up and never locking the door even at night. I can remember leaving my bike on the lawn and it would be there the next morning.

I’ll recover from this episode. I’ll probably get another iPod. And chances are I’ll forget to lock my car again. I may even get broken into. Who knows? I’m a strong believer in things happen for a reason. Call it Divine Purpose or karma whatever you wish. Maybe this was a wake up call; maybe somebody needed that iPod more than I did. Maybe the robber has a kid and maybe he’s going to give my iPod for a Christmas present without ear buds or sync cable. At this point I struggle for answers that may never come.

Still I am the father of three beautiful boys and the future father of a beautiful girl not from this land or culture. Events like this effect the whole family even if only for a moment. It weakens my spirit when things like this happen. My parents’ generation never locked the doors. My generation is the one that locks the doors. What is their generation going to be like?