Cafe Home
Fantasy Baseball
Fantasy Basketball
Fantasy Hockey
by 
So I make it home, come inside...didn't really check the clock but I imagine it was around 12:45 or 1am. Ginger runs off to the living room and hops on the couch. I however am feeling a little "up" from my ride so I make myself a nightcap(rum-n-coke)and decide to log on to the Cafe. I check my leagues and some PMs starting to crash when I hear some pretty loud noises in the garage, like someones messing with the storage door thats just inside the side garage door. I figure this because that door isn't really a door but some plywood hung on hinges...makes a very distinct sound .
I've heard noises before and grabbed a heavy object and went on a sweep of my house but I new instantly something/someone was in my garage. I don't have any guns in the house except for an old 22 pump rifle that was my moms that I don't even have any shells for so I grab my baseball bat and head for the garage,this has all happened in a matter of 10-20seconds maybe. It felt like a long time though, like I was taking too long to do something or check it out...I dunno I was pretty scared. My house door into the garage opens in such a way that when you swing it open you can see the side door to the garage. I swing the door open quickly and flick the light on to find some young kid standing just inside my garage with some sort of metal object, prolly a screwdriver Idunno, it looked sharp. So I'm standing there with a bat(6'2" 210pds a tad out of shape but still)staring at this young kid maybe 14, 15, 16 years old, like 5'9" and a buck 50(he could have been older). And he says to me "Come on!" Seriously. To tell you guys the truth I was actually pretty scared until he opened his mouth. All I said was "you better get the **** out of my garage right now" and took a step toward him, then he bolted. I gave a half assed chase, yelling and cursing, just to the end of my driveway. Freaked me out!
So how did he get in my garage? Did he break in? No. This is the worst part...I left the side door open myself, and because the landscaper had been here that day the side gate was open. I have been leaving the side door open and the garage door open a crack to help keep the garage from getting so hot. And I always go out and close both before I go to bed. Cept today I left the house early...was gone most of the evening...and completely forgot.
What really scares me and makes me really angry with myself is that my pops was here alone. All kinds of awful thoughts have been running through my head about what could have happened. I know it was a young kid and most likely he would have just taken stuff from the garage...but what if it was someone else. And yeah it could happen during the day too, Stockton was one of, if not the first place those "home invasion robberys" started happening. Grrrr it really makes me feel crappy, I came home to take care of my pops and then I do something sooooo careless. What if I would have decided to stay at my friends house tonight? Ive done that before. I don't even wanna think about it.
FYI we do have an alarm system but my dads WONT use it. He does have that Life Alert thing, little button on a rope that hangs around his neck...the..."Ive fallen and I can't get up"...ya know? And we do have Ginger...cept she was with me all night.
Boo...It's like 3:30 in the morning I'm all anxious and I feel like a bad son/caregiver.
Side note: I have never been a gun person but since I've been back here in Cali I've seriously been thinking about getting one. This isn't the first time I've been awoken/heard strange noises, it's just the first time I've actually confronted someone. Like I said every other time I get up and survey the house and it's nothing. But I'm worried that next time it'll be something.
I've shot guns before...quite a bit and I don't mind them but I've never owned one. And really never thought about one for home protection(or any other reason)until I moved back here...and more so now. Of course I'm all wound up and typing my thoughts out loud but I have a very uneasy feeling.
even before this I was kinda thinking something like a 12 gauge shotgun...easy to get, cheap, very little aiming needed and I've heard the sound of pumping it will most likely scare people off...makes sense.
I dunno I'm feeling like I need sleep but I'm up. I really haven't thought out anything I've been typing...just thinking and typing. And I feel bad. Yeah I'm trippin out a bit.
Man that was long...just felt like typing that out...thanks to those that read it...I'm sure I'll be embarrassed in the morning.
*EDIT* -Oh and for those that will ask, no I didn't call the cops. Really what would they do? He didn't break in. He didn't take anything and he'd have been long gone before they even arrived.
Now that I think about it I prolly should have called and reported it...I dunno.
. I can't imagine shooting at anybody with one and wouldn't want to, but times like this is when it would be good just to pull that out. Or if the guys messing with you had gone farther than just messing with you a bit. Anyway, good to hear that all is allright and yeah probably would have been best to just report it to the police.
