Monday, October 24, 2005

The Scariest Night of my Life

This weekend Karin had a very scary experience. It reminded me of something that happened my senior year of college when I was living with the lovely and talented Lbt.

Lbt's grandmother had been very ill and she had been driving back home (about two hours) every chance she got. This particular weekend, I wasn't expecting her back until Monday afternoon. On Sunday night, very late, like after midnight, I was up studying (Yes, I was too. Shut up. It's my story.) and heard a key in the door. I thought that was odd, but that maybe Lbt got fed up with with her mom & came back early. I knew that I had locked the keyless deadbolt, so I went to unlock it for her.

Something told me to look through the peephole first. I looked and all I could see was the top of someone's head. I could hear someone breathing heavily and trying to get the key to work in the door. Lbt's bedroom was right next to the front door, so I went in there and gingerly peeped through the blinds. I could see a man leaning against the door, trying to get it open.

I. freaked. out.

I was certain that it was some psychopathic maintenance man bent on raping and killing me. How else would he have a key? I was trying to comfort myself with the fact that the keyless deadbolt was locked, but I was terrified that he would break Lbt's bedroom window & come in that way.

He started pulling back & forth on the doorknob and was obviously frustrated. I ran as quickly and quietly as I could back to my bedroom and shut and locked the door. I called 911 said that a man was trying to break into my apartment. She asked for the address and where in the complex I was. She told me that the police were en route and to stay on the line with her. I was a basket case. The guy kept pulling the door back and forth, like it would come open. Then he would beat on it. I would scream every time he did and the 911 lady would talk me through it. She was great. Very soothing.

Five hours later-okay probably five minutes, but it seemed like forever- the operator told me that the police were in the complex and then at my door. They had the guy. She told me to put the phone down, not hang it up (not a cordless) and go open the door for the police. She told me to come back and tell her that the police were with me before I hung up.

I opened the door and saw the guy. He was my next door neighbor - drunk off his ass and handcuffed. The police took him and one officer came inside to talk to me. He took my statement and asked if there was anybody I wanted to call. I called my parents, they live in the same town where I went to college, and they said they would be right over. The officer said he would sit with me until my folks got there.

That's when the adrenaline really hit me. I looked at my living room and what a mess it was. Crap! My parents were on the way over! I started cleaning up, maniacally throwing pizza boxes, Diet Coke cans, newspapers, etc out. The policeman watched me like I was insane!

When my mom & dad got there, the police officer left. I fell into my Daddy's arms and cried like a baby. Then I apologized for waking them up and making them come over. Of course they told me I didn't have to apologize. Seems like I went back home with them that night.

A few days later, I saw my neighbor, who had always seemed like a friendly, normal guy. He. was. horrified. He apologized profusely. He said that he had been out drinking, got home & forgot where he lived. When you walked up the stairs, our apartment was on the right, theirs on the left. He had lived in one of the right at some point in the past. So when he got home, he went the wrong way. He remembers being really pissed that the his key wasn't working and the door wouldn't open. He said that he was charged with Public Intoxication and that he wouldn't blame me if I hated him forever.

Of course I forgave him. He was a nice enough guy. He always looked a little sheepish whenever I saw him after that.

AND, I always, always locked that keyless deadbolt at night!

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