Thou Shalt Not
My laptop was stolen last week. Some Putz came in through a back window, rifled through my jewelry box, peeked inside a snazy high tech looking box in the living room (our poker set) and then snagged my laptop from the kitchen. It was really hot last week and windows were left open and I'd left the house in a hurry and hadn't bothered to turn on the alarm. (Neither of those things will happen again, as I like to learn from my mistakes). We live in a great neighborhood, where everyone knows everyone and looks out for each other. I had a couple neighbors beating themselves up because they hadn't seen anything. Which was terribly nice of them because it wasn't their fault that some putz felt entitled to help himself to my stuff. It did affirm my overall faith in my 'hood, though.
It wasn't about the stuff. It usually isn't. It was the creepy feeling left in his wake, that some Jerk came into my home uninvited, disturbing, literally, the peace. So I took some sage and holy water and reblessed the house, purging the evil vibes. Because it was evil. Not horrific, Nazi storm-trooper evil. Not slimy, power-grabbing Rovian evil. But it was evil. Says so in the Ten Commandments. Taking what doesn't belong to you is wrong. Period.
Reminds me of the time when The Child and I were out shopping. She was three. We'd gone into a little shop to buy water. We were walking away when she opened her hand to show me, pleased as punch, the candy she had snitched from a box on the counter. I stopped in my tracks, told her that we NEVER take something from a store without paying for it and marched her back into the shop where I made her give it back and apologize. She was absolutely mortified and started to cry. The Shopgirl sweetly accepted her apology and then gave me a look that said, "Geez, lady, you've got this poor kid all freaked out and it was just a stupid Fran's caramel. Lighten up". I smiled and sweetly said, "She has to learn". I believe I am correct in saying that The Child has, in fact, never kyped anything since. Which is good because my fundamental goal in parenting is to raise someone who is going to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
I should probably point out that I've forgiven The Putz. I won't go so far as to say something pious like, "Poor guy, he obviously needed it more than I do". Thievery is not a viable solution to financial straits. I mean, I guess it works for him on some level, until he gets caught. Then, I'm thinking, he might wish that he'd chosen a less fraught path to financial security. Like a job. But I have forgiven him. I have more important things to do than walk around ticked off that I've been robbed. And I think of all the good things:
1) In thirty years of urban dwelling this is the first time something like this has happened.
2) I save everything to a network so The Putz didn't get any of my files. My bank account is safe. My writing is safe. Although my "Age of Empires" disk was in the CD drive and it ticks me off that I'll never be able to finish the game I was playing. But I'll get over it. Eventually.
3) The house wasn't ransacked.
4) No one was home. I even had the dog with me. (And no, the dog would have been useless. He would have barked and barked and then as soon as The Putz said "Nice doggie" Indie would have started joyously humping his leg. He's just not that fierce).
5) It was a little aggravating to have to buy a new laptop but that's why there's American Express.
Being without my own computer has thrown off my game. I miss being in my zone. I have created my own space which is comfortable and inspires me. My desk is small so I have to keep it tidy. The Spouse's desk is big and messy. My zone has my photos and inspiring quotes and whathaveyou that keep me going when I hit a sticky place. The Spouse's zone is messy. My zone is sunny. The Spouse's zone is dark. And messy. His keyboard feels different. But hey, at least there's another computer, right? I'm not cut off from my email and my NY Times on line. It is, as Sandra likes to say, all good. And, praise Shiva, Dell shipped my new box today so I should have it tomorrow, Monday at the latest.
What have I learned from all this? Teach your kids not to steal. Forgive the bad guys. Look out for your neighbors. Don't live in fear but it doesn't hurt to hide the good silver. And don't forget to set the alarm.
It wasn't about the stuff. It usually isn't. It was the creepy feeling left in his wake, that some Jerk came into my home uninvited, disturbing, literally, the peace. So I took some sage and holy water and reblessed the house, purging the evil vibes. Because it was evil. Not horrific, Nazi storm-trooper evil. Not slimy, power-grabbing Rovian evil. But it was evil. Says so in the Ten Commandments. Taking what doesn't belong to you is wrong. Period.
Reminds me of the time when The Child and I were out shopping. She was three. We'd gone into a little shop to buy water. We were walking away when she opened her hand to show me, pleased as punch, the candy she had snitched from a box on the counter. I stopped in my tracks, told her that we NEVER take something from a store without paying for it and marched her back into the shop where I made her give it back and apologize. She was absolutely mortified and started to cry. The Shopgirl sweetly accepted her apology and then gave me a look that said, "Geez, lady, you've got this poor kid all freaked out and it was just a stupid Fran's caramel. Lighten up". I smiled and sweetly said, "She has to learn". I believe I am correct in saying that The Child has, in fact, never kyped anything since. Which is good because my fundamental goal in parenting is to raise someone who is going to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
I should probably point out that I've forgiven The Putz. I won't go so far as to say something pious like, "Poor guy, he obviously needed it more than I do". Thievery is not a viable solution to financial straits. I mean, I guess it works for him on some level, until he gets caught. Then, I'm thinking, he might wish that he'd chosen a less fraught path to financial security. Like a job. But I have forgiven him. I have more important things to do than walk around ticked off that I've been robbed. And I think of all the good things:
1) In thirty years of urban dwelling this is the first time something like this has happened.
2) I save everything to a network so The Putz didn't get any of my files. My bank account is safe. My writing is safe. Although my "Age of Empires" disk was in the CD drive and it ticks me off that I'll never be able to finish the game I was playing. But I'll get over it. Eventually.
3) The house wasn't ransacked.
4) No one was home. I even had the dog with me. (And no, the dog would have been useless. He would have barked and barked and then as soon as The Putz said "Nice doggie" Indie would have started joyously humping his leg. He's just not that fierce).
5) It was a little aggravating to have to buy a new laptop but that's why there's American Express.
Being without my own computer has thrown off my game. I miss being in my zone. I have created my own space which is comfortable and inspires me. My desk is small so I have to keep it tidy. The Spouse's desk is big and messy. My zone has my photos and inspiring quotes and whathaveyou that keep me going when I hit a sticky place. The Spouse's zone is messy. My zone is sunny. The Spouse's zone is dark. And messy. His keyboard feels different. But hey, at least there's another computer, right? I'm not cut off from my email and my NY Times on line. It is, as Sandra likes to say, all good. And, praise Shiva, Dell shipped my new box today so I should have it tomorrow, Monday at the latest.
What have I learned from all this? Teach your kids not to steal. Forgive the bad guys. Look out for your neighbors. Don't live in fear but it doesn't hurt to hide the good silver. And don't forget to set the alarm.
cobbled together by Moi at 10:57 AM
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