Burglar After My Car Keys.

by K. Logan

Just over three years ago I retired, and I can tell you that retirement is darn good if you can met the bills and keep yourself occupied, but since then I have been wakening up within 10 mins of 5.30 AM. It must be programed into my DNA after 14 years of getting up at that time for my last employment.

One morning last fall was a little different. I found myself awake at 4.10 AM, no I did not need the bathroom. Laying there wondering why I was awake so early and pondering if I should drift off back to sleep or haul myself out of bed, I got the feeling something was not right. And I was right, something was not right!

I got up and wandered out into the hall. OMG the front door was open, a gaping hole staring at me, did I leave the door open, no couldn’t have. There is a table thing, piece of furniture, I don’t know what it is called, in the hall, things had been touched and moved around.

It was then I had the thought that someone could be in my house! I don’t have a gun, don’t believe in them. What could I grab to defend myself with, there is nothing in the hall. I thought of going into the kitchen and grabbing a large knife that I have but would that really do me any good, and they might be in the kitchen.

I stood sweating for a moment more, I couldn’t hear anything. Then I turned the handle of the lounge door and flung it open, nothing. Did the same with the bathroom and then the kitchen, there was no one there.

Don’t know why but then I went outside, pointless as anyone would be long gone. If it was a comedy movie at that point the door would have swung shut and left me out there in my p.j. bottoms. Everything seemed alright as far as I could see.

Going back inside I picked up the phone and put it down again. Should I call the cops or not? I didn’t know if anything was missing, there didn’t seem to be anything taken from the hall. I looked around the lounge, again everything seemed alright. Same story for the rest of the house. I made myself a coffee and sat wondering whether to call.

Eventually I saw my neighbor out front. After I told him the story he practically forced me to call the cops. Now I felt like an idiot for waiting so long to make that call.

Well it seems that my intruder was after my car keys, my car was out on the drive and if he had got hold of those keys he would have had my car. Lucky for me I never leave the keys in the hall, they stay in my pants until I go to bed.

The cops said that likely he used a credit card to spring the lock. Bad for me for not using the thumb catch, I make sure I do now.