BREAK-IN!

Interesting Friday. Our GM degreed Friday as jersey day, and wore a knockoff Tom Brady jersey. Dennis and Chris wore Falcon T shirts and Darryl wore his 49ers pullover. I broke out my white Joey Harrington replica jersey, that I bought off the TJMaxx clearance rack for three bucks. Looked good with jeans and my thrift store Ecco boots.

After work I laid the jersey and my black jacket in the front passenger seat, then set my laptop briefcase on the front passenger seat floorboard. Drove a mile to the Pinkneyville Soccer Complex to walk/run a couple of laps around the track. Since there were several cars in the front and middle lots, I pulled left to one of my regular parking spaces. There was one minivan on the other side of the lot. As I quickly changed into my running gear, a brown 2000 Chevy Impala pulled into the lot. An African-American teenager got out with his skateboard, and appeared to make his way across the street to the skate park.

It was a beautiful day, and there were about ten others using the facility. I recognized one or two as regulars. I've been coming to this track since October. There haven't been any soccer practices in January, and the fields are rarely used on Fridays. As usual, during my run/walk I kept an eye on my surroundings. Its fun to kick the pine cones and gum-balls off the paved trail. I also check out the cars passing by on Old Peachtree, and those in the lot. When I pass someone I'm always ready to nod a hello. Some reply, and others don't. I try to time my walking periods to when there's no other runners nearby, so no one thinks me to be a stalker.

While completing my first lap I noticed the brown Impala driving toward the exit. I'd thought I'd seen the Impala before, and thought little of it. I made decent time on my run. Due to the rain this was my first run of the week, and only my second outing of the new year.

As I came into the home stretch of my last lap, I looked left (east) across the parking lot. The setting sun was shining on my car. The front passenger window appeared to be rolled down, or at least much cleaner than the back window. The sight was odd enough for me to keep looking. By the time I drew even with the front of my car I could tell the window wasn't there...and broken glass was on the ground  next to the car.

My first thoughts were all my laptop files that aren't backed up. The new iPhone I had just activated the day before had been left in my driver's side door pocket, next to my wallet. Over the months I'd become careless with what I'd leave exposed in the car. I approached the car and looked in the passenger window. Broken glass was everywhere. I didn't want to touch anything. 

Apparently the culprit and picked up my jeans to check the size and style, then reached over my briefcase and picked up a boot. I like my "new" black Ecco boots. Warm, comfortable, and stylish. New, the price is well over one hundred dollars. For me, a great deal at Goodwill: six bucks. Perhaps they weren't the burglar's size, or he was looking for Timberlands. At first I thought the Falcons jersey was stolen, but it was still buried at the bottom of the pile.

The Civic's middle compartment had been opened, but there was nothing of value in there. Had the burglar looked across the car, my iPhone and wallet weren't too hard to spot. Perhaps they had been spooked. I was quite fortunate: nothing had been taken.

I immediately called 911, and was connected to the Gwinnett Police. They took my name and promised to call back. By that time the elderly oriental man had completed his walk and was returning to his van. I walked across the parking lot in an unthreatening manner, and pointed to my car. He might've seen a "white car" parked next to mine during one of his laps. Later I flagged down one of the regular runners, but he hadn't seen anything.

I walked to the front entrance, looking for the brown Impala. Sometimes a Berkeley Lake police will cruise the lot. I called them, but they switched me back to the Gwinnett Police. They told me I didn't need to wait around, but they would call back.

Drove home with the heater blasting. Stopped at the stinky Kroger for Ceil, and the police called and took down the information. Got home, then later drove to another Kroger to Redbox "Trouble With the Curve". The movie was just ok. Ceil and Matthew made spicy chili, which enflamed my sore throat.

Saturday morning I called the Glass King, and left a message. I noticed they had a location nearby, so I bundled up and took the van up to check them out. On my way the King returned my call. He would come to me and put in a new window for $159.00. Less then my deductable, of course. While I was out I got air in the tire, filled up with gas, returned a library book and the Redbox movie, and picked up a few things at Kroger.

Running around, the van had warmed up, and every time I got in and out of the van the warm/cold change was making me sneeze. Got home and had to lie down. In between rest times I ate lunch (leftover chicken & dumplings) and cleaned out the van. The Glass King arrived, and we had a nice chat as he made the repair. By the time he was finished I felt terrible. 

The rest of the afternoon I had uncontrollable sneezing fits. Watched "You've Got Mail" then went upstairs to bed. Slept like a rock for two hours. Ceil made homemade dough and cooked pizza. Sunday morning I feel better, but am still weak.