Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Danger!



Newspaper headlines and television reports featuring; Escapees, Accomplices and Fugitives have made our community on edge.  In our rural community many leave their keys in their cars and trucks.  Unlocked doors are not unheard of.  This week changed our attitudes toward security.  We’ve been encouraged to be on the lookout for 2 escapees and their girlfriends.  We’ve seen news reports of a string of break-ins and we’ve seen helicopters fly over.   Our attention has been drawn away from corn prices.
Later in the week as news reports have tracked the sightings to a nearby state and the danger has seemed to pass, but we’re still being careful. 
Last night as my husband and I prepared to run some Friday night errands we were startled by a knock on the door.  Our elderly neighbor, Gloria was standing at the door, breathless, clutching a dog.  As I slid the door open she gasped, “Lori, I just don’t know what I’m going to do!”  As the story poured out in disjointed worry and fear I realized that in her vigilance for security she’d locked herself out of her house when she went out to walk the dog. 
Her husband is out of town on a volunteer work crew several states away.  Her children all live several hours away, and their numbers all in her phone, were locked securely in her home.  Roger wasn’t due home until late Saturday and she was in a panic. 
My husband offered to see if he could find a way into her house.  I jokingly suggested he try to open the door with a credit card.  The joke started to make sense and we found one of our many “store rewards” cards and dog, owner and my husband headed across the lawn.  I started to plan a quick clean for our unplanned house guest. 
Minutes later my husband returned with a silly grin on his face.  It appears a door really can be opened with a credit card and a quick turn of the door handle.  As he celebrated the success, Gloria started to plan for the replacement of her front door with a deadbolt lock, and a safe place to hide a key.