Safety

Years ago, my husband and I lived in a downtown loft in a huge city. We had an extra privacy lock, that’s another story perhaps. But I always felt safe. The access doors were problematic. The skateboarders had no problem at all accessing the gated garage and skating it, to the horror of drivers trying to get to their floor and park.

And I knew exactly what to do at every access door when, regularly, my fob wouldn’t work. I pushed this one, pulled the other and was able to successfully get my dog and groceries safely home, Then we moved and someone started taking a sledge hammer to individual loft doors. Glad we’re no longer there!

Now we’re in a new city and have had car break-ins for the past week or so. I have a Magellan that was bought for under $80, a refurb, five years ago so it’s worth about a buck fifty (Mags is very handy and helped us navigate Chicago last weekend), a dog bed, cargo net and tub with jumper cables and my emergency road kit. Needless to say, my pretty nine year-old car has not been targeted.

This morning, there are police cars outside and one officer was locked out so I badged (get it?) him in and showed him how to get to the other building. Some problem with a young kid who’s mom is paying the rent, a druggie threatening suicide, and they think he’s also the guy who’s been ripping off cars in our absurdly expensive garage.

In a building comprised of successful executives, professional athletes, retirees, rich college kids and others, I’m one of the few who is here during the day, alone except for Zoe, the dog, who barks whenever someone turns a key in their lock. She helps keep me safe.

To have police officers here solving a crime and hopefully helping this young person get treatment, makes me feel a whole lot safer. I don’t think I could handle sledge hammer break-ins and would have to move to be safe.

They’ve doubled security, added extra cameras and for that I’m grateful, but I hope the Police Department can nip this in the bud and we can all get back to normal. When you live in a nice place and have security and fobs and keys and double entries safety should be a given.

When we move, we choose a place to live consistent with the fact that my husband usually sleeps through the night, and soundly. If the dog needs to go out at two in the morning, it’s my job. He won’t live anywhere I won’t be safe outside at that time of night.

Two weeks ago, the result of too many treats or eating something yucky in the bushes, Zoe needed to go out early a.m. I ran to take her out and heard rustling in the bushes. I was lectured to by the security guard and told to go out the front entrance and he’ll watch out for me and if I’m not back in five minutes he’ll find me and call 911. Yes, he’s a soldier and has been called up to Iraq, I like him and he’s the kind of son I’d like to have. So I feel safe taking Zoe out when she’s eaten something foul (or fowl).

Extra security is posted in the parking garage and while I don’t drive my car some days, preferring to walk to get groceries, I now take the dog out and check on my car at least once a day.

Lost veterans, lost adult kids, lost pets. They add to my daily chores but I get to write. Perhaps an extra story about that privacy lock! Cheers! Dee