I don't know about you, but I'm hearing more and more about break-ins over the past few months. I guess the recession is driving some previous sane folks to resort to guerrilla tactics to get money or things to sell, and breaking and entering is high on the list. Of course you're also hearing about folks getting arrested out of suspicion for breaking in their own homes, but I won't delve into that topic on this here blog.

Anyway, due to this increased talk about break-ins in residences, I now lock all my locks on my door, including the chain. I also want to invest in a chime for my door, so that when all else fails, I can at least hear someone entering my apartment, and I can prepare myself and my lady. Its not a sophisticated security measure, but for now it will have to do.

So last night my lady and I just finished up a hearty dinner, and we were sitting at the table on our respective laptops, when we thought we heard someone playing with the lock on our door. Initially we thought it was the lady in the apartment next door to ours. Our door is so close to hers, that sometimes when she enters her apartment it sounds like she could very well be coming in ours, but this felt much different. The noises were much closer, and they did not subside after a few seconds, so at this point I stood up and starting walking slowly towards the door. It was also this point I thought it maybe could have been the building maintenance people, but given that it was after 9pm, there was no way in the world they'd be trying to gain entrance to my apartment. So I kept creeping towards the door, and I got to the peephole, and I noticed a woman outside my door who I recognized from another floor in my building. I opened the door, she looked at me, I looked at her, she looked at me looking at her, and then she instantly turned red and apologetic.

"Ohmygodohmygodimsosorryimsosorryohmygodimsorryimsoembarassed"

This went on for a good five minutes, and I kept assuring her that it was ok, and it was really no big deal. She lives on the fifth floor, and she had been absent minded and gotten off on the sixth floor, and then tried to illegally gain entrance into our apartment. When I asked her what apartment she lived in and she told me, I explained to her that my lady and I had tried to accidentally gain entrance into her apartment this past winter, so we totally understood how this can happen. But she still continued to apologize and slowly walk towards the elevator. We assured her that all was well, then I closed the door in her face while she was still apologizing. I mean enough was enough already.

I'll admit my heart was pounding even a few minutes after the situation was over, but I'm glad it all worked out. My biggest regret, besides not going to the door with a knife or a Louisville slugger, was not squeezing in a Skip Gates joke somehow...my comedic timing is off.

Freddie Freeloader - Miles Davis