Even though I know that my street is not for my own
personal, private parking or owned by me, I still get a bit unnerved when someone I don't know
parks out there. These days, you just never know. I can't run them off since
they aren't actually ON my property just parked in front of it on the street.
And the street IS paid for by taxpayers. Still, I find it unnerving for some
reason.
Like I said, I know I can't run them off, but I do take a
bit of action. I go out there with my camera, stand within a few feet of their
vehicle and I take pictures. Of the car. Of the driver. Of the license tag.
Yep. I do that. And I am not ashamed.
I've been asked by some of those drivers why I am taking
pictures. "Oh, just so that, should anything happen to me or mine, the
police will have a starting point," I reply. And it's only slightly coated with snide sarcasm. And
a bit of a smugness. Coated in warning.
Anyway, one day last year, I came home from school and there
was this big truck parked in front of my house. And there was a man sitting
inside the cab. I came in, let Tucker happily maul me and kept looking out the
window. He never left. Time to get the camera. I walked out and stopped on the
porch. The camera was armed with the BIG ASS lens and I started shooting
pictures.
He got out of his car, walked around the front and into MY YARD.
Him: Is there a problem?
Me: Seriously? No. No problem. I just take pictures of
everyone who parks in front of my house so that, should anything happen to me
or mine, the police will have a good place to start.
Him: I AM the police.
Me: Riiiiiight. Where's your badge? (Geez, where are the
people willing to tell me to shut up when I need them?)
He shows me this little, tiny thing that looks way too small
to be a REAL police badge. I know this because I watch a lot of crime dramas
and movies and if it's on the television, well...
Me: That looks too small to be a REAL badge. I want to see
your photo ID. The ID that's supposed to be accompanying that tiny badge of yours.
(Holy Crap! Where are those people to shut me up?)
Him: I left that at the office.
Me: Riiiiight.
Him: You can call the police station - and he calls out the
number- and check with them.
Me: Really? I can do that? Gee, thanks for your permission.
So I go inside and call the police station.
The lady and I exchanged one or two pleasantries and then I
told her of my dilemma. She told me that she didn't think they had anyone like
that but she would find out and call me back.
"I don't know of any detectives like that. You keep an
eye on him and I'll see what I can find out!"
Holy CRAP!
When she called me back she was laughing.
"I'm so sorry! It IS one of our detectives!"
Come to find out, he was out there watching a house a few
doors down. It is a house that is rented by some guys in their 20s and the
police were thinking there was some drug activity down there because there had
been reports of a lot of traffic (we live on a cul-de-sac). I told him that was
nothing compared to the foot traffic that heads down that way.
He actually gave me way more information than the cops on
the crime shows I watch give out. Hmmm...
He pulled off soon after and I'm quite certain he called in
something like: "Don't need to worry about anything on this road fellas.
Except for the crazy camera lady." Followed, I'm sure, by my address. Just
in case.
Did that cure me of caring about people parking in front of
my house? Nope. I've taken several pictures since that time.
And I haven't shut my mouth either.
Does anything like this unnerve y'all? Or am I in this boat
all by myself?
