Valiant Monkey

Last week we went for lunch with Doug before his flight. After lunch, I noticed that our driver's side lock looked a bit funny. Sure enough someone had broken into our car. The contents of the console and glove box were strewn about; the change from the Monkey Pit* (about $10) and our pink card were missing. We got off incredibly easy since all of Doug's luggage was in the trunk, including his backpack and iPod.

The whole incident was filled with irony. Firstly, we lived roughly two blocks from there for 2.5 years without ever having a problem, even though I left my car unlocked on more than one occasion (unless you're a mechanic there is no way you can steal my car, nor would anyone want to) and yet the first time we returned to the area someone broke in. Secondly, everyone warned us about the perils of moving to Millwoods. We haven't had a single problem here but back by Southgate we got robbed. Thirdly, Paul has been searching for his cell phone headset since April. Somehow the thief managed to find it and leave it conveniently on the seat. We searched for 9 months and didn't find it, the thief randomly pulled things out for 5 minutes and did. He actually saved us 20 bucks.

Had it just been the small change we would likely have shrugged off the incident, but the missing pink card added a new dimension to the issue. What can be done with a pink card? Well, the police pointed out that it is usually taken for identity theft purposes, although I don't really know what you can get with just our insurance information and address. Secondly, it includes our full address and since we were out, the thief would know that we were out and could therefore feel free to burgle** our place. We rushed home to see if this was the case, but again we were lucky.

I had trouble sleeping that night, tossing and turning and starting awake. I was left with a vulnerability, a sense that security was lost; someone had pawed through part our lives and taken what they wanted with unknown motivation. The car felt dirty and tainted and so did I, by association. It surprised me that such a small loss, coupled with the potential for much greater violation, had such an emotional impact. It's taken a while for that security to return; some areas still feel stained and I'm uncomfortable when forced to touch them. They're like a bruise on the psyche, not a lasting damage but a real one nonetheless.



* Years ago, Kaley was in the car with one of her toys, a banana full of plush monkeys. One of the monkeys got left behind and Paul stuck it in his ashtray with the spare change, so when searching for change we would say, "check in the monkey". Loanly, our newer vehicle, has a little pit with a lidded bin where we keep both the change and the monkey***, hence: The Monkey Pit.

** "Burgle" is a funny word, don't you think?

**Fortunately the thief took the money and left behind the monkey, though his ear was torn in the struggle to defend his home. Valiant monkey.