It's Never Convenient To Be Victimized

At 5:00 a.m. this morning, I was awakened from a sound slumber by a pounding of my front door. I wasn't expecting anyone at this forsaken hour, so I assumed the worse possible scenario. I quickly threw on a pair of jeans, jumped into my loafers, and reached back over to my bed to grab one of my trusty and "always-ready-for-action" 9mm Smith & Wesson semi-automatic 9mm handguns.

I looked through the front door's peep-hole and saw a familiar face. It was the "newspaper guy." No, I don't know his name and I suspect that he doesn't know my name either. However, I recognize this guy and he's shouting something. After I fight through the adrenaline flowing through my veins, I pull back the blinds on a nearby window to get a better look at who is on the front porch. I see that he appears to be alone and noticeably jumps when he sees a gun in my hand.

It is now clear to me what he has been saying. He was telling me that my car was vandalized. Now, I am incensed. I thank him for delivering the bad news and I head out the door towards my vehicle. A few steps into my trek, I immediately notice that several boxed items, that were in my trunk, were opened and littered into the street.

My awareness is level is at "alert status" and I am looking for anybody who might be in the area. Not a peep is to be heard anywhere. Nor is there anyone around. I survey the damage. Apparently, some lost souls felt like breaking out a passenger side window to gain access to my car. Once inside, they looked for anything of value. Since I never leave anything of "real value" in the car. They didn't get anything valuable other than the four wheels.

Yes, that's right. They took all four of my wheels - rims and tires. My car was left on a mixed-matched set of brick pavers from someone's yard. At this point, I rolled my eyes and said "the word," despite it being banned by the NAACP.

I had just experienced a trespass. No, no one broke into my house. No, no one had the audacity to try to rob me. However, I am still ticked off.

Yes, I have been robbed at gunpoint before, so I know what that also feels like. Between the two incidents - the robbery and the vehicle being vandalized - nothing is different within me as far as how I feel about either incident. I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

There is a side of me that wished that I had caught my malefactors in the act. That, obviously is the passionate and emotional side of me. The other side of me is thankful that I didn't catch them in act.

You see, in Michigan - unlike Texas - you can't just blast vandals who tear up your car. I know the law. I have it taught to my students over the law few years - twice a month - during my CCW/CPL Classes. The rational side of me is thankful for not having to prove that I act according to what I preach - acting lawfully and responsibly.

So, here I am - at home. I called off from work. Yeah, I still have a job. One day, it may become my "side-occupation" but, as of now, I still punch a time clock Monday through Friday. I had to assemble my documentation and make a report with the local police department, file a claim with my insurance company, arrange to have my wheels replaced, and have a company come out and fix my window. What a waste of a day. Time, at this point in my life, is my most valued commodity.

All I can do now is count my blessings. One, I didn't kill anybody. Two, I have insurance and can be made whole - other than having a lost day. Three, I own a handgun and can respond to loud poundings on my front door in the wee hours of the morning.

How's your day?