Bomar
SILVER Star
Ok, at Jordan's urging, i shall post up my epic adventure and getting the 'downtown Memphis experience."
After my rear brake lines blowing out in downtown Chicago and then my transmission having heating issues and slipping real bad between Indianapolis and Memphis, I figured that the worst was behind me. Monday I arrive, and as I'm carrying things in after the office staff leaves, realize that my key fob to get into the building is not working, so I have to wait for people to let me in. Great. Like the trooper that I am, I don't let that stop me.
Fast forward to Thursday. After work I go check out a couple of dealerships for different cars to replace my rusty red Buick, and then go shopping at Kroger for stuff. I get home around 8:00, and knew that I had forgotten my phone on the charger in my room. No big deal, probably a message from Karen (my fiancee) and that'd be it. Nothing was out of the ordinary, so I picked it up.
19 missed calls, 9 voice messages, 3 new texts. Wow, something is wrong. I call Karen and ask her "is everything ok? Are you all right?" To which she responds "Brian, are YOU all right!?" "Yeah, I'm fine, why?" She then proceeded to tell me that management had called her to tell her that my front door had been kicked in, deadbolts and all, and they think that people had ransacked my apartment. I kinda was surprised, as there was barely little more than my sleeping bag, cot, empty cooler, and a folding chair in the entire apartment. It was then that I noticed my laptop and handgun were gone from under my cot. I put the phone on speaker, dropped it into my shirt pocket, grabbed my shotgun, slammed some shells in it, racked one in, and began to shake.
I proceeded to take inventory of all that was stolen: my laptop, handgun (Springfield Armory XD40), backpack containing iPod, digital camera, charging cords, graphing calculator, U.S. passport, Karen's wedding band, and my peace of mind. I think the total is about $3,500 in merchandise. They, for whatever reason, took my $650 handgun but left my $850 and $2000 shotguns in their cases in my closet, along with all the ammunition and spare clips for the XD40. I slept that night with blankets around me, clutching my shotgun, waking up to any noise in the hallway.
The sense of safety, security, and the fact that your home is a fortress and you are safe in it is the most precious thing. Once it is violated, it is gone, and with it you begin to view the world in a very, very different light.
I had cancelled my Wisconsin renters insurance because it wouldn't be good in TN, and had planned to add it to my Geico policy that very night, or Friday, since I figured I could do it at my convenience. The only consolation is that Karen's ring is covered completely with my jewelry insurance. I also told the management staff here that a condition of me staying and continuing to pay rent is that they WILL install a steel door frame, and upgraded locks. Those come either this week or the very beginning of next.
Nice thing is that I found out this morning that the police have interrogated one of the suspects, and the other needs to show up to interrogation or else he'll have a warrent out for his ass. There are three police officers who live in my building, and they are working on the case themselves. The subjects are friends of a guy who lives in this secured building, and had borrowed his key to get in. I am hoping to get my gun back, and maybe some peace of mind. Funny thing is, I may have found my iPod on Craigs List...
Until then, I awake to greet sounds in the night with the Click-Clack of a shell being racked in, until I discern that the sound is no threat... I haven't gotten a good night's sleep since then. I would love nothing more than to move back home to Michigan or Wisconsin... I am doing much better now, and while I'm still paranoid, I can laugh and at least appreciate the people that don't suck here. I just wish they would have stolen my Buick, at least then they would have done me a favor!
Yep, "Welcome to Memphis," indeed.
At least you guys don't suck!
Brian
Brian
That sucks a major one. PM in route bout Thanksgiving.
-Bomar
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