7/29/2006

Post Traumatic Ennui

A few years ago, I lived in an apartment in a house. As it wasn't a huge place, storage was sometimes a problem. I'd thought of moving but then how would the family of dust that had come to think of the place as theirs too feel?.

Coming home from work one day, a solution was laid before me in terms I could not ignore.

Arriving at my door, I could see something was askew, right off in fact. It was the door, hanging in a peculiar way I was certain I hadn't left it. As my head dog tilted to one side and I squinted, my brain began to whirr.

I pushed through, stepped over broken glass and the explanation started to register. Books had been freed from their shelves, clothes from my closet liberated into the light and the dust was reacquainting itself with the new layout.

A crime victim, that's what I was. Some cheeky bastards had kicked my door down, taken my valuables, upended everything they could and were off to huff and puff their cares away.

The most immediate and stunning loss was my 300 or so CDs. Without so much a note, gone and never to be seen in the beautiful chaotic order I'd loved them in again. Being a ridiculous sort, I had no insurance and so, they went unreplaced in the CD format for the most part. I began to rely and still do on downloading. It's legal here you know. If I like something enough, I'll buy it fair and square.

Later, as the police officer went through the requisite motion of dusting for prints and telling me I'd never see my things again, I thought I'd tune him out with a little television, something too big for them to have carried away quickly. In a moment, I knew what indignity meant. Fuckers took my remote.

This post has been brough to you courtesy of what I'm listening right now: Crime Jazz, Music In The Second Degree.

19 comments:

Old Lady said...

I don't think that we can get through life without being affected by some sort of crime. The feeling is similar to that of being raped.

Anonymous said...

I didn't know you were robbed...I thought it was the sewere backing up or something...Unless this happened when you lived on Memorial Park? Hmm...I knew that couple was shady.

Cup said...

P2P is legal in Canada? I need to start scanning the job ads ... and teach myself to remember that American-ignored u.

Saviour Onassis said...

They took the remote? Oh, the shame! Talk about adding insult to injury...

Jennifer Wertkin said...

Oh....it happened to me two years ago! They caught the guy but I never got my stuff back. I MISS MY CD's....and my jewelry....and my sanity!

mellowlee said...

That made me sad Dale!! *sniffle* :(

X. Dell said...

Dale, I'm truly sorry to hear that. I wish I could offer wise words of consolation, but nothing I can say will help the feelings of loss and intrusion. I wish I could wring the neck of the bastard who broke in.

I wonder if it's possible to get a revenge visa.

Dale said...

The violated feeling set in later, I was in a bit of shock for the rest of that day. But I'm lucky that this is about the worst that's happened living in a big city.

Yours was worse as I recall Tanya. They peed on your white couch didn't they? Fuckers. That couple is shady but it weren't there, it was on Strathmore.

Yep, that's why we're the true north strong and free. Don't forget to protect us though when we need it, thanks. We'll give you downloads.

Bastards huh Saviour? The nerve.

My sanity has always been in question but I blame the thieves too. I'm surprised they caught him NYCB!

Don't be too sad Lee. I'll write a happy story next. Maybe.

I'm all for wringing a neck if it's warranted X. And revenge visa sounds like a great idea.

mellowlee said...

Ok good Dale, cause imagining you standing there realizing your cds were gone actually brought tears to my eyes! :(

chelene said...

I'm sorry, Dale. My mom's house was broken into last year (the thief climbed through the window). A break-in is a big fear of mine but I try not to worry. I don't have such valuable stuff, but I can't imagine anyone being in my house and touching my things. It's disgusting. Well...I guess that depends on if I invited the person and what stuff he's touching, but you know what I mean. :)

Dale said...

Yes, touching is good but only when it's inappropriate but welcome. What? Yes thanks.

Coaster Punchman said...

Wow, what a nasty story. And to think Michael Moore led us to believe that Canadians are able to leave their doors unlocked!

Our friend Lulu used to talk about how she feared someone would break in, hurt her and steal her tapes. (These were the days before CDs.) And now it really happened. To you, that is. Sorry.

nouseforaname said...

while in college, I had my apartment robbed twice. The first time, I was away for xmas break and the robbers moved in, made kool aid and ate all my hot pockets. The next time I caught them and tried to block them in with my car, only to have them ram into me and total my car as well. Thieves suck ass....

Dale said...

And when you've lost faith in Michael Moore, what else is there CP?

Twice? Oh man. That really sucks. Good for you for trying to take a bite out of crime but look where it gets you huh?

I know my pal Tanya had her place broken into, then her sister, same thing and then their Mom. One sister to go and we'll all feel better.

AngelConradie said...

ouch... very ouch bru!

Anonymous said...

What sister? Only my mum's a few times.

One time, my mum came home from shopping at Danforth, and she'd only been away for about 40 minutes. She couldn't get in the front door and was all perplexed so she went around the back and saw the creeps fleeing through the garage to the laneway. Then there was a knock at the front door, the front door that had a chair pushed against it so it couldn't be opened from the outside, and there was a taxi driver...the creeps had called for a taxi to help haul away the loot...Loot like my dad's ashes in a nice urn, some old crummy jewelry that means nothing to anybody but my mum, an old stereo..I mean, really!

And the more recent one a couple of years ago, it was probably a lone dude, he ended up taking her passport but probably not on purpose because I'm sure he didn't look like the senior señora in the picture.

Why did you make me write so much? I'm trying to have an away weekend at home.

How was the dentist? I didn't see the post yet.

Dale said...

It ouched at the time for sure Angel.

Oh Tanya, I thought that sister V. had also had that. I remembered some of the details on your Mom's. Crazy bastards. If you can't handle the writing, get off the keyboard silly.

bluestocking said...

Sorry that happened to you, Dale. I was burgled twice in my 20s, though I was lucky enough to have renter's insurance both times. It was still profoundly upsetting. The first time it happened was over Thanksgiving break one year when I was an undergrad and the guy slept in my bed and used my bathtub while I was gone, cleaned out my fridge and left a kitchen full of dirty dishes. I thought that was bad, until I was burgled a second time a few years later and then started getting threatening phone calls.... apparently whoever robbed my place thought I was hot and wanted to "do stuff" to me, which he felt inclined to tell me about. This was the days before caller ID, which I now refuse to live without.

Dale said...

As though the first time wasn't traumatic enough! Caller ID is a gift straight from Baby Jesus as you know.

The whole situation of having someone threaten you like that is just frightening. I had a situation years ago where someone was fairly terrorizing me with disturbing phone calls and it affected me for years.

Thanks for sharing.