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Hektore · 03-03-2010, 06:11 PM

Tonight, after a lovely dinner with my in-laws I arrive home with my wife and notice a man standing rather like he was at attention directly across the street from our house. This is a man I have never seen before, on a block in a small town where people know each other. We just do. He is a very grizzly looking man, and if I had to guess I would put my money on homeless. He is wearing mostly green worn out jumpsuit style outfit with a chest length grey beard and appears quite unkempt.

It was likely the leers from us nosy neighbours that sent him off, but he went inside a house where we thought we know all the occupants but had never seen him before. The house has not been for sale to our knowledge. When he went back in he left the door open. It is 39 F outside.

This wouldn't really be newsworthy, except when he turned to go back in we (my wife and I) both notice the same thing, he was carrying what appeared to be a small bore rifle on his person. Ordinarily, I don't care that people have guns. Whatever. To each his own. But, for some reason, this dude with a gun makes me uncomfortable, he doesn't seem normal.

So we went inside and my wife, evidently somewhat less perturbed than I am about the situation, is downstairs watching the Capitals hockey game. I took myself upstairs to the unlit front room and wanted further observation on this fellow. Sure enough, he is sitting just off to the side of the window facing out, watching. What he is watching I cannot tell, but based on his position and posture it could not be anything inside the house. I guess I shouldn't judge since I'm doing the same thing, just with the lights off.

I do not like this. I have my phone and have my shotgun loaded across my desk behind my keyboard. I am nervous. If I'm being honest with myself, he gives me the willies. Tonight, I will likely not go to bed or if I do, I will get nearly to no sleep. I will sleep lightly and not until I investigate every sound at gunpoint.

I hate it when this happens, it seems like such a small thing, but once the loop gets going it feeds on itself and I can't stop it. Some people would call me paranoid, others cautious (although these folks are probably called paranoid themselves). I think it's the sort of garden variety paranoia everyone has, even if they don't want to admit it.

So, what say you, TFP? What would you do in my situation? Have you ever been in a similar situation? Anything that makes you nervous or anxious unreasonably? What sort of people push your buttons and make you uncomfortable even though you know they shouldn't?

03-03-2010, 06:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
Hektore Junkie Location: Greater Harrisburg Area	Strangers with Guns Tonight, after a lovely dinner with my in-laws I arrive home with my wife and notice a man standing rather like he was at attention directly across the street from our house. This is a man I have never seen before, on a block in a small town where people know each other. We just do. He is a very grizzly looking man, and if I had to guess I would put my money on homeless. He is wearing mostly green worn out jumpsuit style outfit with a chest length grey beard and appears quite unkempt. It was likely the leers from us nosy neighbours that sent him off, but he went inside a house where we thought we know all the occupants but had never seen him before. The house has not been for sale to our knowledge. When he went back in he left the door open. It is 39 F outside. This wouldn't really be newsworthy, except when he turned to go back in we (my wife and I) both notice the same thing, he was carrying what appeared to be a small bore rifle on his person. Ordinarily, I don't care that people have guns. Whatever. To each his own. But, for some reason, this dude with a gun makes me uncomfortable, he doesn't seem normal. So we went inside and my wife, evidently somewhat less perturbed than I am about the situation, is downstairs watching the Capitals hockey game. I took myself upstairs to the unlit front room and wanted further observation on this fellow. Sure enough, he is sitting just off to the side of the window facing out, watching. What he is watching I cannot tell, but based on his position and posture it could not be anything inside the house. I guess I shouldn't judge since I'm doing the same thing, just with the lights off. I do not like this. I have my phone and have my shotgun loaded across my desk behind my keyboard. I am nervous. If I'm being honest with myself, he gives me the willies. Tonight, I will likely not go to bed or if I do, I will get nearly to no sleep. I will sleep lightly and not until I investigate every sound at gunpoint. I hate it when this happens, it seems like such a small thing, but once the loop gets going it feeds on itself and I can't stop it. Some people would call me paranoid, others cautious (although these folks are probably called paranoid themselves). I think it's the sort of garden variety paranoia everyone has, even if they don't want to admit it. So, what say you, TFP? What would you do in my situation? Have you ever been in a similar situation? Anything that makes you nervous or anxious unreasonably? What sort of people push your buttons and make you uncomfortable even though you know they shouldn't? __________________ The advantage law is the best law in rugby, because it lets you ignore all the others for the good of the game.