What if…

At about 3:00 o’clock yesterday morning my alarm went off.

 I was still in NREM phase of sleep being gone to bed around 2:00 just to be jolted awake an hour later by shrieking noise of the device. My first thought was naturally:

“Someone’s inside! I have to call the police.”

Only my cp was downstairs, so was my big knife I always take to bed in case (I used it hacking chicken to fry since my other ones are all blunt) what to do, what to do? I let the alarm goes on till I could not stand the noise anymore. I reckoned the neighbours were experiencing the same predicament and I was expecting a list of complaint to be presented to me the next day but it wasn’t my fault and so be it.

Preparing to be attack when I opened the door, I took the lamp with a heavy ornate base out of the socket and went downstairs… no one there. I quickly snatched my purse and ran up again closed the door and tried to call the police above the piercing sound. Luckily they had no trouble understanding me and arrived within 3 minutes.

 When I saw the blue lights flashing outside the gate, I quickly ran down the stairs and switched the alarm off and let help in… To make the story short, they located the source of trigger all the way to my utility room, someone tried to break in from the side door next to the garage where momentarily I have no sensor light hanging. I have other lights located at three of the side walls of my place; in fact, one is hanging a bit farther down the same wall near to the side gate, but apparently its sensor doesn’t work that far (I know now what to bring on my next trip to DIY shop) the police checked inside and outside, under the beds and behind curtains and pronounced me safe for the night and left… It took me a while (7:00 to be exact) to fall asleep again. I woke up 3 hours later and went to my weekend appointment looking like a zombie/train wreck and feeling dazed.

16:28

Today (as expected) one of my neighbours from across the street spoke to me about what happened the other day why my alarm sounded off. I told her the whole story. Contrary to what I thought she was not angry to me but sympathetic since there was a break in at her place last year, she fully understood what I’m being through she said.

The burglars trashed her place and took some things like credit cards, cash and spare car keys. It happened while they were out to dinner. Since then she became suspicious she said especially when strange cars are park at our street, and I thought I was paranoid and told her that. She told me it wasn’t the material things that was important to her because it can be replace, but what bother her is the infringement of her privacy and the feeling of not being safe in her own home. My thoughts exactly.

She said they have now a dog and ask if I might consider getting one. I said I will think about it. The truth is I am scared of dog and I don’t want them in the house for hygienic purposes and I love my garden more than anything else. I cannot have dogs or any animal digging in my flower beds.

I like the woman (which rarely happens) she seems honest and sincere. I cannot detect any malicious intent emanating from her. She’s I think about my age but more a motherly type. We said goodbye. She invited me to drink coffee at her place whenever I feel like. I said thank you but I hardly doubt if I will really going to take the offer up, I am not a sociable person and people scare me, even someone as nice as her.  I told her she can come to my place instead (that I can do. I am a terrific hostess when I set my mind to it) It felt good talking to her. Maybe there is hope for me yet.

Later on, recalling the event, my paranoia took over me and I thought: what if they have something to do with the failed break in at my place? What if she just talked to me to have a feel how much I know about the burglars and if I recognized anyone?

What if she invented the story about her own place being trashed and all to give me false sympathy and gain my trust? What if she invited me for coffee so I would return the favor so she could be in my home to study the ins and outs of my place? What if… What if… What if…

See, how paranoid I am?