Do I Look Like Mapquest?
Last night something very bizarre happened. It was 12:54 AM, I was listening to a Massive Attack CD (thanks Holli!) and trying to wrap up a couple of job applications on my computer. Lately the time between 11PM and 1AM has kind of turned into job application time for some reason. As I'm sitting there, suddenly my doorbell rings! WTF?! My normal reaction to this would be to ignore it and pretend I was asleep, but then I got to thinking: what if my roof is on fire, what if one of my neighbors needs help, what if it's the police, what if the sky is falling? It's kind of like the phone ringing at 3AM, there's no way you're not going to answer it or at least see what in the hell is going on. I was pretty freaked out.
Despite my liberal tendencies, I will admit that I own a gun. And if I'm going to have to unexpectedly answer the door at 1AM, there's a pretty good chance I'm going to have that gun with me. And I did. I turned on my porch light and didn't see anything, so I thought maybe it was kids messing around or something. Then I heard someone say "Hello?". I mustered up my scariest "Who is it?" through the door, and then I heard to my astonishment "You don't have to open the door, but can you tell me how to get to the jail? I'm from Dallas and I don't know where it is." WHAT THE FUCK?! Am I Mapquest? Do I have a sign in my yard that says 'Need Directions? Inquire Within!'? Who in the name of Jehosaphat knocks on someone's door at 1 in the morning and asks for directions?! I didn't even have my porch light on, in fact I had all the lights in the front portion of my house turned off, it would have appeared to any normal person that whoever was inside was asleep. IN WHAT ALTERNATE UNIVERSE IS IT ACCEPTABLE TO KNOCK ON A COMPLETE STRANGER'S DOOR AT 1AM FOR DIRECTIONS?!!!!! She probably thinks it's normal now, because instead of wigging out, I actually did tell her how to get there. I guess I was so dumbfounded I couldn't even get mad. Sheesh!
Despite my liberal tendencies, I will admit that I own a gun. And if I'm going to have to unexpectedly answer the door at 1AM, there's a pretty good chance I'm going to have that gun with me. And I did. I turned on my porch light and didn't see anything, so I thought maybe it was kids messing around or something. Then I heard someone say "Hello?". I mustered up my scariest "Who is it?" through the door, and then I heard to my astonishment "You don't have to open the door, but can you tell me how to get to the jail? I'm from Dallas and I don't know where it is." WHAT THE FUCK?! Am I Mapquest? Do I have a sign in my yard that says 'Need Directions? Inquire Within!'? Who in the name of Jehosaphat knocks on someone's door at 1 in the morning and asks for directions?! I didn't even have my porch light on, in fact I had all the lights in the front portion of my house turned off, it would have appeared to any normal person that whoever was inside was asleep. IN WHAT ALTERNATE UNIVERSE IS IT ACCEPTABLE TO KNOCK ON A COMPLETE STRANGER'S DOOR AT 1AM FOR DIRECTIONS?!!!!! She probably thinks it's normal now, because instead of wigging out, I actually did tell her how to get there. I guess I was so dumbfounded I couldn't even get mad. Sheesh!
posted by JC at 1:49 PM
6 Comments:
That is very freaky, it would have scared the shit out of me and I'd want to move. Seriously. Wouldn't have thought you'd have a gun, but I can see the appeal of one at times like that.
I also love Massive Attack ~ they're great music, esp. for 1am in the morning. And the last thing, WTF is she needing to get to the jail at 1am in the morning? Visiting hours are definitely over and you just be careful.....weird, just weird.
Maybe she was picking someone up who just got out?
I do live pretty close to the jail, and it must be difficult to find because I have been asked for directions a couple of times while I was out working in my yard. So, the fact that someone needed help finding the jail didn't seem unusual. But the circumstances sure as hell were! Maybe she was high.
Nothing happened after that. Of course, I had all these paranoid thoughts that she was trying to distract me while someone broke into the back of my house or something! But everything seems to be in order.
Now, if that had been me, I would have probably scared her! I'd act just like a lunatic and start ranting & raving and telling her to get the **** away from my house.
But, you had the gun. So glad it wasn't a crazoid out there. Be careful JC.
The whole thing just freaks me out. You should have opened the door, shown her your gun and said "right here, bitch."
KAPOW!!
Is it possible to go to the jail at that time of the night?
It is totally bizarre. Here's what I think, whatever it's worth. This woman was probably in an altered state, whether she was in the process of an emotional breakdown (because of the jail situation) or on drugs. She could've been going to bail out her husband or child or parent, as the result of something horrible. She could've been in a state of shock.
It's chaotic when something like that happens and really scary. I think you did the right thing by protecting yourself but also showing enough compassion to give directions. Compassion vs. self-protection...that one has never been easy.
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