The Cellar - View Single Post

glatt · 01-19-2016, 10:21 AM

Not today, but last night.

It was bedtime on a cold, dark, and windy night. I walked around the house, checking that all the doors were locked, and turning off the lights. Once it was dark downstairs, I could see easily out the window of our front door that the front door of the house across the street was wide open and the interior light was on. Seemed slightly strange to me, because it was so cold out. We open and immediately close ours when it's this cold. So I watched for a few seconds and the door stayed wide open, with nobody around. It was the night to take garbage cans out, and I thought the neighbor was taking the trash to the curb and left the door wide open. I wouldn't do that, but whatever.

So I stood there watching, and growing more concerned with each passing moment that this door across the street was wide open. After a few minutes went by, I imagined that the homeowner had gone outside just for a moment and slipped on a patch of ice and was lying unconscious in their dark driveway. So I stepped outside into the cold, without putting a jacket on, and peered over at their driveway. Nobody that I could see, but it was dark.

These neighbors are relatively new, and they really keep to themselves. We don't know them at all. I wouldn't even recognize them if I passed them on the street. So I didn't feel like walking up to their open door and calling in to their house. Might get shot.

So I went back inside and went up to the bedroom and looked out that window while I waited for my wife to get out of the bathroom. No movement at all over there, and the door was still WIDE OPEN. it had been about 10 minutes at this point. So my wife came into the bedroom and I pointed out the open door, and I went to go do my thing in the bathroom. Five minutes later, the door is STILL open. I grab a flashlight and walk outside and shine it across the street into their driveway and around their front yard. There was nobody unconscious and bleeding in the driveway. Nothing obviously wrong, so I went back inside.

It had been at least 20 minutes now. Very unusual. So my wife called the non-emergency number for the police. Let them check the stranger's house. I felt a little stupid calling the police over this instead of going over to the house myself, but it was late at night and I had no idea how I would be received by strangers as I approached their inner sanctum. Any normal person would feel threatened in their shoes, and maybe it would go badly. The police took all the information, including our information, and then I figured I had to stay up now and leave my shoes and clothes on, so I could talk to the cop who would be coming by.

Then there was a little movement inside the house and the stranger closed the door! Fuckers. At least 25 minutes leaving their front door wide open on the coldest day of the year. My wife called the cops back, and the lady said she would put a note in, but that the police might still show up.

So we waited around for another half hour before turning off all the lights and going to bed. Cops never came.

I wish we knew those neighbors. Could have just called them.

01-19-2016, 10:21 AM	#6176
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Not today, but last night. It was bedtime on a cold, dark, and windy night. I walked around the house, checking that all the doors were locked, and turning off the lights. Once it was dark downstairs, I could see easily out the window of our front door that the front door of the house across the street was wide open and the interior light was on. Seemed slightly strange to me, because it was so cold out. We open and immediately close ours when it's this cold. So I watched for a few seconds and the door stayed wide open, with nobody around. It was the night to take garbage cans out, and I thought the neighbor was taking the trash to the curb and left the door wide open. I wouldn't do that, but whatever. So I stood there watching, and growing more concerned with each passing moment that this door across the street was wide open. After a few minutes went by, I imagined that the homeowner had gone outside just for a moment and slipped on a patch of ice and was lying unconscious in their dark driveway. So I stepped outside into the cold, without putting a jacket on, and peered over at their driveway. Nobody that I could see, but it was dark. These neighbors are relatively new, and they really keep to themselves. We don't know them at all. I wouldn't even recognize them if I passed them on the street. So I didn't feel like walking up to their open door and calling in to their house. Might get shot. So I went back inside and went up to the bedroom and looked out that window while I waited for my wife to get out of the bathroom. No movement at all over there, and the door was still WIDE OPEN. it had been about 10 minutes at this point. So my wife came into the bedroom and I pointed out the open door, and I went to go do my thing in the bathroom. Five minutes later, the door is STILL open. I grab a flashlight and walk outside and shine it across the street into their driveway and around their front yard. There was nobody unconscious and bleeding in the driveway. Nothing obviously wrong, so I went back inside. It had been at least 20 minutes now. Very unusual. So my wife called the non-emergency number for the police. Let them check the stranger's house. I felt a little stupid calling the police over this instead of going over to the house myself, but it was late at night and I had no idea how I would be received by strangers as I approached their inner sanctum. Any normal person would feel threatened in their shoes, and maybe it would go badly. The police took all the information, including our information, and then I figured I had to stay up now and leave my shoes and clothes on, so I could talk to the cop who would be coming by. Then there was a little movement inside the house and the stranger closed the door! Fuckers. At least 25 minutes leaving their front door wide open on the coldest day of the year. My wife called the cops back, and the lady said she would put a note in, but that the police might still show up. So we waited around for another half hour before turning off all the lights and going to bed. Cops never came. I wish we knew those neighbors. Could have just called them.