ALMOST SHOT A MAN TONIGHT

I was sitting in my study tonight when I heard something at my front door. I already knew that my family was in bed, so I retrieved my pistol before going to investigate. As I got closer to the foyer I could hear the doorknob jingling. The motion lights were on, so I was sure that someone was trying to get into the house.

I stopped at the doorway into our dining room where I had a clear view of the front door. I cocked my revolver, aimed at the door, and waited. Suddenly this swings open and this guy steps into the house. I hadn’t said anything at this point, and my heart was hammering away like a sewing machine.

I said, “Stop! What are you doing?” I didn’t yell it at him, mostly because I was too nervous to muster anything much louder than a normal tone. He looks around to see where my voice was coming from and when he saw me with a gun aimed at his face he freaked out.

He immediately dropped what looked like a gym bag and threw his hands into the air. He took his eyes off of me, ducked his head, and started bending at his knees to get into a kneeling position. I kept my aim trained on his head. He was saying, “SH*T SH*T DON’T SHOOT! OH GOD DON’T SHOOT, OH SH*T!…” So I said, “Do not move! What in the hell are you doing in my house?” At this point I was both angry and scared at the same time.

He said, “I’m here to stay with Patricia…..my Aunt Patricia…I’m from New York and I’m here for the week.” Of course, there is no Patricia here, and I told him as much. By this time, my wife had awakened and she alerted me to that fact by letting out a shrill yelp. I told her to get the phone and call the police. He continued to insist that he was here to stay with Patricia. Somewhere in there he also mentioned someone named Dan. Then it dawned on me. Dan and Patricia are my neighbors. I told Melanie to call them and ask if they were expecting company.

Dan and Patricia confirmed his story so I lowered my gun. They walked over and he finally stopped hyperventilating long enough for us to figure out what happened. Patricia had mailed him a house key in a letter a few weeks ago. At that time he wasn’t sure exactly when he’d be here, and they wanted to make sure he could get in if they were out of town (they just got back).

So he followed her directions, came to what he thought was her house, put the key in the lock, and turned the knob. Their key unlocks my door and vice versa. We have no idea how we ended up with two doorknobs with matching locks. I’m still trying to figure that one out.

Anyway, I just sat back down and I’m still somewhat shaken. He has no idea (or maybe he does) how close I came to blowing his head off when he walked in the door. His name is Kevin. He ended the night by saying, “Damn! I knew Alabama was going to be different, but I though that I’d at least get my bags unpacked before almost being killed.”

Whew. I’m still shaken. Just thought I’d share this bizarre event with you guys.

I can understand your dad thinking someone was breaking into his darkened house in the middle of the night, but to keep a loaded rifle aimed at you even when the lights were turned on and he saw that it was you, his son .... that is a little weird.

I think that might have been for effect, as in "look what almost happened, thanks to your actions. Take a good long look, and remember it."

Besides, it might have taken me a few seconds to be able to move, in that situation; I'd be afraid of jerking the gun around at that point...

I agree with you about the builder and door locks. I've done work for several builders over the years who use the same door locks and keys while the houses are under construction, especially in large, one-builder neighborhoods. This keeps key confusion to a minimum and the key can be given out to inspectors, etc. who need to access the houses prior to closing.

Changing out the locks is the last thing on the builder's list and in the confusion and rush of getting a house closed out and sold it is an easy thing to overlook.

Oops, I see you have it figured out!

"I also issued secret code words for my family to chant when entering the house,"

"Unghhh"

"Global Test"

"Kerry's a Metrosexual"

"Edwards girlie man"

The possibilities are endless.

yea by dad was just making a point and it worked, i don't drink anymore, I wasn't supposed to be drinking anyhow I have Epilepsy and soon after my frind Jeff joined the Marines, I guess scaring the crap out of us helped us both :)

125 posted on 10/07/2004 5:09:23 AM PDT by FesterUSMC (If you don't have the hammer you are going to be the anvil, and I would rather be the hammer!)

"“Damn! I knew Alabama was going to be different, but I though that I’d at least get my bags unpacked before almost being killed.”

What an astoundingly stupid remark from someone who had just broken into a home in the middle of the night.
But then he IS from New York, right?
Public schools?

"I also issued secret code words for my family to chant when entering the house......The possibilities are endless."

Here's what we're currently using:

Nicotine patch tan line.

127 posted on 10/07/2004 9:08:49 PM PDT by Jaysun (It's getting hard to see through all of the "white out" on my screen.)

What an astoundingly stupid remark from someone who had just broken into a home in the middle of the night. But then he IS from New York, right? Public schools?

I know! I was thinking, "Does he think I regularly welcome strangers into my house at all hours of the night?" But I guess he was still upset, and he was just trying to use a little humor to defuse the situation.

Can't blame him for being a shifty-eyed nervous wreck for a while. He must have known that he was one fart away from certain death. I saw him this morning as I was leaving and he jokingly threw his hands up.

128 posted on 10/07/2004 11:09:24 PM PDT by Jaysun (It's getting hard to see through all of the "white out" on my screen.)

Good one. Live and learn.

I've been known to say "Don't shoot, it's me." one several occasions. Even if they don't know who "me" is; it gives them half a second to rethink cappin' me...

129 posted on 10/08/2004 2:35:08 PM PDT by packrat01 (Politics:Saying "Islam is a religion of peace" while seeking final destruction of Islamist Terrorism)

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.