False Alarm!

Lately, I have been a little tense. So when I came home from work last Thursday to hear a loud noise coming from upstairs, my nerves got the best of me. I heard what sounded like someone walking around the upstairs of my condo, and what sounded like dropping the air conditioner in my sister’s room. I live with my sister, but she wasn’t home from work.

“Hello?” I yelled upstairs. And then I heard a loud sound that echoed the house. I got the hell out of there! I fell on my ass as I jumped back in fright! I got out of the condo, and whipped out of my phone to call my sister.

“Kiki, there’s someone upstairs!”

“Hang up and call the cops then!”

I did just that. I dialed 911 and spoke to the dispatcher. As I explained what had happened he told me to go to my car and wait for the officers to get there, and to stay on the line with him until he did.

“Should I go check it out? I have a pocket knife and if you stay on the phone with me, I should be all set, right?” I asked

“Miss, do not go back into your home! And you should not be telling me you have a concealed weapon on you when three officers are on their way to you right now. Just be patient and remain calm.” The dispatcher responded.

A concealed weapon, really? I thought to myself. I spotted my neighbor pulling in next to me, “My neighbor just got home, should I tell him what’s going on?” I asked the dispatcher. “Yes. Tell him to not go out back, until the police get there.” He responded.

So I walked over to my neighbor, who okay I’ll admit it, is pretty cute, and I nonchalantly said, “Hey! Just letting you know that the cops are on their way over here because I came home to someone possibly robbing me upstairs. Just giving you a heads up so you don’t panic when the police get here.” His eyes widen as I told him, “S*&%, are you serious? I better tell my girlfriend to lock the doors.” I told him that was a good idea and as he was walking away I told him to not go out back until the police get here. He stood still for a second and then turned towards me. “I got an email today from the landlord saying that there were people going to be cleaning the gutters. There out back right now. Was it them that you heard?” He asked me. “No, it was coming from inside my place when I came home.” I answered back. He just kind of smiled and walked inside to warn his girlfriend.

Three police cars pulled up right after. Three officers and a K-9 dog got out. One came up to talk to me, one went out back with the dog, and one stood out by my front door. I was getting nervous and started shaking. I kept thinking that it was one of my brother’s friends coming to look for prescription pills, or it was my abusive ex boyfriend and he had found where I was living now, or it was a total stranger just stealing all of our stuff! The cop who was standing to me asked what happened and I told him what I had told the dispatcher I had spoken with on the phone. The cop with the dog came back up front and stood next to the one that was in standing by my front door. One cop pulled his weapon out and proceeded to go inside my place. My heart raced as I was worried to hear shots fired or screaming and shouting. I had no idea what was about to unfold.

Minutes later, the cops came out. My sister was finally home and we were standing there as the cops walked up to us to inform us that there was no one inside and what I had heard was the latter the two men outside were using to clean the gutters!

I felt like a complete idiot! The cops walked us inside to double-check to make sure nothing was missing, which there wasn’t. Then I jumped when I heard the loud sound again. The office then told me that was the guys cleaning our gutters and there was nothing to worry about because they aren’t inside the house.

All in all, the cops were very good about my false alarm. Although, I was just in shock and scared silly, I guess it’s better than actually having someone in the house and stealing our belongings.

Here’s to the guys who clean my gutters,

Just Meg

xoxo