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Creepy Guys

June 02, 2005 | Category: Family, It's a Trip



My neighbor, Jonesie, came over today as we were saying goodbye to my mom. She told us that yesterday, while we were all out, she saw a group of kids sitting on our front steps.

These guys were familiar to us.

They are a white suburban pack of gansta hoodlum wannabes. They dress like the Unabomber or city punks. They are in my neighborhood the last couple of weeks because the kid up the street who used to mow our lawn has turned into a bored dropout who wants, desperately, to belong.

Artie was a sweet kid with emotional problems and learning disabilities. Eventually the school district started tutoring him at home to keep the mayhem at a minimum. Both his parents are spread too thin and he had a lot of unsupervised time, so he took up with these kids.

And now the police are a common visitor. Because this is Pleasantville and these are kids wander in an aimless mass on the sidewalks. The neighbors give them the hairy eyeball and have "911" on the speed dial.

But Artie likes us, so he still waves when he and his friends walk by in a slouched semi-mob seething with attitude. And Bear enthusiastically waves back, and I do, too.

Then, this posse decided to spend some of yesterday camped out on our front doorstep.

My neighbor, Jonesie, didn't like the look of it, so she marched across the street in her teeny skirt and strappy cami (it's what she always wears. Hey, she's like 26 years old and built like supermodel - why not?).

I guess the kids tried to act like they knew us. Tried to tell her they were invited to be on our steps waiting for us to get home. But Jonesie didn't buy it - she challenged them, and wouldn't leave until they got themselves off our property.

When she told us from the little she overheard that they might have intended to ask us for money by pretending they were raising funds for something. But she wasn't sure, she just didn't like the entitled attitude they had hanging out on our front steps while we weren't home.

(Yes, she IS wonderful.)

I don't know why these kids were on our doorstop. Did they think because we were nice enough to wave that somehow that was an invitation to scam us for money? I know I shouldn't jump to conclusions, maybe they had some legitimate reason. Because the alternative was that by acknowledging Artie's wave, we somehow made ourselves targets. And dagnabbit, I refuse to live in a way that makes me pull down my arm and pretend that guys who scare me a little (and they do) aren't somehow human.

But reasons aside, they got right up in our space and stayed there. CD and I knew with a look as the neighbor talked that we had to take what happened seriously.

Because what these boys didn't know, but what have found out if any one of them had reached up to the doorknob, is that we don't lock our house except when we're going on vacation and at night.

Never have.

Now CD and I have decided we must change our ways. And it has made us both inexplicably and deeply sad.


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Tagged: Corporate, Mommy, Life



Comments


I didn't realize they still made neighborhoods where you don't have to lock your doors! I freak myself out if I don't close the garage door right away. Sucks to have a little bit of that innocence lost.

Posted by: trb on June 7, 2005 02:48 PM


Ruh roh! I'm a locker-upper myself, so my husband's family took awhile to get used to. Actually, I think the entire town he grew up in leaves doors unlocked and the keys in the ignition.

So, what are the Malibu's Most Wanted gang member's parents doing when they roam the streets? How can they not know? Grrr, that chafes my hide.

Jonesie is awesome. I'd love her for a neighbor, despite the fact she can wear tiny minis and strap tanks and get away with it.

Posted by: Robyn on June 3, 2005 11:18 AM


Tell him I need some for a certain window in the house. Don't ask me why... sigh.

Posted by: *AGK* on June 3, 2005 10:21 AM


Unfortunatly, some of these wanna be thugs will take advantage of your friendliness....scamming you for money could the the least of what could have happened. My family has learned the hard way that it doesn't pay to be nice to people, you get screwed, and that is a very sad way to feel.

I grew up never locking our doors, leaving doors and windows wide open...everyone in the neighborhood looked out for each other, it was such a nicer time...now we lock doors windows and have three large dogs that bark and growl at anyone that comes near the house....sad sad sad state of the world....

Posted by: Lisa on June 3, 2005 07:20 AM


I had a similar experience the other day while I was teaching my son to ride his bike. These two scruffy-looking teenagers came walking down the street toward us, and it suddenly occurred to me that we were the only people on the street. For whatever reason, the usually bustling neighborhood was like a ghost town. I don't know why kids today want to dress like vagrants. It's very disconcerting.

Posted by: notdonnareed on June 2, 2005 04:17 PM


Angela,

You know I actually thought about that - announcing to the Internet that I don't lock my door! But then I remembered that I don't do that anymore.

In fact, CD is putting in those alarms that go off if the door is opened.

Like a fortress, my house.

Posted by: Elizabeth on June 2, 2005 04:16 PM


Well, yeah, that and you just told all of the Internet that you don't lock your doors! I'm obsessive about my doors and windows! I close my blinds when I leave, too. Oh, and I tell the dog to "get 'em" if they try to come in.

Posted by: *AGK* on June 2, 2005 03:50 PM


I hate locking the door, too, but after finding the local drunk standing in the laundry room one evening, I've decided locked doors aren't that bad. Having the crap scared out of you as a slightly inebriated man sways and says "SHhhhh! Baby is sleeping!" as you walk by, well, that is just not fun.
Don't be too scared. Those kids could probably use an adult who isn't afraid to say hi. On the other hand, if they are going to abuse that niceness, they don't deserve your courtesy!

Posted by: Tammy/averagemom on June 2, 2005 03:44 PM


GAH! I'm a door locking freak, but that would still send shivers up my spine.

Posted by: Cursingmama on June 2, 2005 01:54 PM


Eeeek! I cannot imagine not locking my doors and leaving all of our home items (including the cats) vulnerable. If your neighbor hadn't seen the boys and scooted them off, you would never have known that they were there. I wholeheartedly support your decision to change!!

Posted by: Jill on June 2, 2005 09:43 AM


Oh my! Jonesie is a great neighbor...a brave one too! She just hustled herself over there and waited until those boys left? Woohoo! Wish I had a neighbor like her.

Posted by: Grace on June 2, 2005 09:29 AM


Yeah, she is wonderful.

I can see why it might make you sad to change your habits. That said, I think it is a habit worth changing. But then, I lived in NYC for 10 years so I may have a different point of view about locking the door.

Posted by: RP on June 2, 2005 07:31 AM