Surprised Myself

It was an interesting afternoon here. We have a dumpster across the street from the house right now because we just tore down an old metal shed. I was out front digging up baby Yucca plants when I heard some rattling in the dumpster. I thought for sure that no one would dump something in it during the day so I figured it had to be the wind. The rattling continued, so I stood up and walked around the porch to see what was going on. There was a man standing there digging through our dumpster.

Now, we've had 20 robberies of homes and businesses in our otherwise quiet, small town in the last month. The police have asked the public to watch for and report anything unusual and/or suspicious.

DH and I had just had a conversation earlier in the day about what I would do if I came face to face with a burglarer that I knew. I say "that I knew" because a lot of the burglaries are being shown to have been committed by a family that I grew up next door to. DH said not to act like a victim.

So, back to the dumpster.....

I walk up the hill and holler across the street, "Can I help you?" No response. The guy doesn't even turn around and look at me. So, I cross the street to where the dumpster and guy are, but stay far enough from the guy that he can't hit or grab me. By that time he actually has a piece of our shed lifted up over his head and is looking under it. I say loudly, "Are you looking for something?" He turns and looks at me like I'm a gnat, annoying him. I recognize him, he's one of the guys I grew up next door to. We'll call him "Tom". Tom doesn't recognize me. It's been a good 15 years since I've seen him.

He continues to look under the piece of shed that he has lifted over his head. I say louder, "Are you looking for something, Tom?" He drops the piece of shed and turns and looks at me. His expression has changed. His wheels are turning and he's trying to figure out who I am and how I know him. He can't place me and he starts to get nervous. He gets an attitude and starts telling me that the cops said he's allowed to go through dumpsters. We argue. I tell him to get the he** out of here and that I'm going to call the police and ask them if dumpster diving is legal.

The whole time I argued with him I used his name about 3 times and he kept getting more and more nervous each time. He moved away from me to the other side of the dumpster. Then he backed away from the dumpster and stood in the middle of the street with his hands out in front of him. When he caught me eying his car (for the license plate number) he got very nervous and kept looking back and forth between the car and me. I don't think he knew what to do because he didn't want to back down from a woman and he was still trying to figure out who the heck I was, but he wanted to get out of here.

We "agreed" that I would call the police, so I went in the house to get the phone. When I came out he was gone. I wrote down his license plate number and car make, model and color. When I came into the house to grab the phone my poor DH was sleeping on the couch. He woke up saying, "What's going on?" because of how I was stomping through the house. I was so mad! I looked at him and said, "Well, I won't react like a victim, I'll tell you that much!" Poor DH!

Then I took the Doberdude outside with me to wait for the police to show up. DH decided to go for a ride through town to see if he could spot the car (I didn't like that). The police came and we talked, I gave him the info. The funny thing was that when I called 911 all I had to do was say my address and the guy's name and they put me right through to the police dispatch.

DH just called from work and said that "Tom" has had a very busy day. He had another police call on him today. Apparently he was casing a local convenience store in the next town over. He may be in jail by now. Sheesh, what a day. The police said they would keep an eye on the house. I told them that if Tom would get in the house the Doberdude will eat him.



....look at me like I'm a gnat, annoying you while you're going through my garbage. Looking for what? There was "house garbage" in there too that he had torn open the bags, lots of yucky food on his hands, but was he looking for personal info? The police said probably not. Most likely he was looking for anything he could salvage or for something he could sell for scrap. If that was the case he could have asked and we would have given it to him...less weight in the dumpster means less money we have to pay for it.

But, I surprised myself a bit when I heard myself saying, "Are you looking for something, Tom?"

...and now I'm going to go look up those personal defense classes that I had forgotten I wanted to take.

Wow, what an encounter! Glad you knew the guy because I'm sure that's why he backed down and left. "Macho woman"!!!

LOL. It just made me so mad that he was acting like I was bothering him. Like I was poking my nose into his business.

I did call about those self-defense classes. I'll be taking one on the 24th. Who wants to join me?

Best of luck with your self defense class!! What a scary and yet dignified situation!!! Great job on the recognition! I'll bet the cops were tickled pink you had a name and the car info!!! I have run through so many scenarios in my mind because I stay at home with our 2 and 4 year olds. I swear to the high Heavens if anyone touches my kids it is on and I WILL win!!! Leave them out of it and the perp may get away with the computer or car to be later identified and my stuff back in it's place!

Wow!!! I don't know you or anything about you but I am so glad to hear you kept a clear and strong mind!!!! Hopefully your story can help inspire others who hear/read it!! Keep your eyes and ears open in case Tom has a friend!

Best wishes!
~ Christina

Thanks Christina, but honestly, I was shaking the whole time and thinking, "Should I be doing this?" Again, he just made me soooo mad. That whole attitude that he didn't even have to acknowledge me.

I am going to take the self defense class. The 24th of this month is when the class will be. The first thing they train you to do is control a situation with words. That would have been great to have that info when Tom told me he wasn't leaving.

I've had some sleepless nights since all this happened and I wish the class were sooner. I haven't seen this guy around anywhere and the Police are still riding by all the time. I still think I'll feel better after I take the class.

Good for you Heather standing up to him and signing up for the self defense classes! I know your DH is happy about that one, Doberdude or not.

-Kim

Heathrjoy, You are awesome. The fact you knew his name must just blown his mind, ha, ha. I really don't think you need to be concerned about him showing up in your neighborhood again. The last thing a person like that wants is to be identified and you did that!

Well, I still have my golf club by my bed, lol.