Sunday, April 27, 2008

Stolen Identity

Well, it happened! I got robbed!  Yes, my purse was stolen when I went to the movies.  Dad and I decided to go the the late movie on Saturday night at the University Mall.  We were watching "Vantage Point".  We sat on the second to the last row.  The back row had a larger space between the last to rows because they had changed the back row seats.  I walked in and got our seats while Dad was getting the popcorn.  I noticed an older gentleman seating on the back row all by himself, and thinking to myself that it was odd that he was alone.  During the movie he took my purse that was on the floor next to me by pulling the purse from behind.  Not only did he take my purse but he took another ladies purse that sat three seats away from me.  During the movie Dad and I noticed that he left the movie quickly, we brushed it off, then we went back to watching the movie.  A little bit later I reached down to get my purse and couldn't find it.  I thought to myself, did I bring it?  Yes, I remember saving the seat next to me with my purse, while Dad was getting the refreshments.  When I started searching for my purse, the lady next to me noticed me searching for my purse so she went to get her purse.  I went out into the lobby and the lady came out too.  She asked me if my purse was gone and mentioned that hers was gone.  We reported it to the manager, who then immediately called the police.  
I feel violated, mad, angry at myself, and ready to punch that guy out! How dare he steal from me!  He took all my credit cards, my check books to two accounts, my drivers license, my social security card, my prescription glasses, my recommend, my keys to our cars and house, basically my life.  
So after speaking to the police and giving him the information he needed, Dad and I went home to call all the numbers to report stolen cards.  Then we took off to Walmart for new locks on the doors and theft protection for our cars.  You never know what he will do.  He has our address and keys to our cars and house, he could just help himself to our property. 
What have I learned from this experience?  First, listen to my gut.  I thought to myself when I first sat down, to put my purse on the arm of my seat like I usually do.  Second, don't carry so much in your purse, only the absolute necessary things. Third, never trust anyone you don't know.  Fourth, don't put your purse on the floor of the movie theater.  Well, it's 3 a.m.  and Dad is still taking care of protecting our house and cars.  I'm waiting up with him, so I decided to write on our blog to vent off some steam.  What will I do if I ever run into the scumbag?  Don't ask right now, I'm too spitting mad!

Monday, April 7, 2008

Butterflies and Prayers

Part Nine
I decided to do nothing about the people waving at me, which didn't help the churning that was going on in my stomach.  
It was Uncle Garn and Aunt Karma that waved to me from their car.  I waved back gingerly, not being too excited that they were now keeping an eye on me across the way.  The mood seemed to change after that and it wasn't Alan fault, it was strictly mine.  I was nervous for two things: one, the spies in the next car, and two, the walk to the door scene.  I had never REALLY kissed a guy before.  I had had boyfriends before and every time that their moves got a little too close I would shy away.  Looking back now, I guess that could be the reason why they always seemed to move on!?!  I didn't want this boy to move on, so I knew that I needed to not shy away from the kiss goodnight that I was hoping would come.  Soon after eating we left to go home.  Alan drove up to the front of the house and parked the car.  We were in the car for some time just talking and enjoying being together. We didn't get too warm from being in the car so long because we had all the windows down and could feel with warm breeze of the evening.  Alan had his arm around me, and I snuggled in the crook of his arm feeling warm and cozy, not caring if it was warm outside or not. It felt right being in his arms and the feeling I got was --that he would always be there for me.  Looking back on it now, it was destined to be.  
Alan made his moves that night, and I was a very inexperienced girl in the way of kissing a boy. He tried kissing a very tight-lipped girl.  I laugh now thinking about what he must have been thinking at the time --in how unknowledgeable I was in the kissing department.  Needless to say, we kissed and it was wonderful, and wet, and sloppy!  Inexperience the culprit.  I didn't  care that it was our first date or not, I was glad that I had kissed him back. The old rule of never-kiss-a-boy-on-the-first-date went out the window.  So, with one set of butterflies having fled, I still had to wait for my relatives to call my dad and hear about being alone.   Time seemed  to have flown by that night, I thoroughly loved being with Alan.  I remember thinking that he was the answer to my prayers.  I had been praying for a friend and I felt that Alan was that friend.  Reality came crashing back when the back door porch light started to flash on and off.  Dang!  That was my call to get my butt in the house and NOW! We had stayed out in the parked car too long.  The butterflies came back twofold. We quickly hurried to the back door and had one last kiss goodnight, while my eye caught the movement of the neighbors window curtains.  Still being spied on I thought.  Alan said that he would call me and I remember thinking, "YES! he wants to go out with me again".  I hadn't scared him off.  It was hard to see him leave as he walked to his car, I  wanted to be with him all the time.  I then turned towards the door to go in and took a deep breath to prepare myself for the lecture I was sure was coming. 

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Waiting and Waiting for--Our First Date

Part eight-
It's one thing for a woman to keep a man waiting, but a man keeping a woman waiting.  What's up with that? After the fateful "run back and give him a kiss on the cheek because he looked so forlorn" happened, nothing happened for weeks.  I was getting to the point that my "enchanted evening" was just a dream after all.  It had been weeks since I was at the dance with Alan.  I was beginning to wonder if maybe I shouldn't have ran and kissed his cheek, had I scared him off, I thought, or worse, turned him away of being interested in me?  The month of June finished out then July came.  It wasn't until the third week of July that I finally heard from Alan, and of course the old heart did the rapid beating again when the phone call came.  I was really nervous to talk on the phone.  I had never talked with a boy on the phone before.  Never!  So when it came to knowing what to say, I was really in a panic.  I could carry on a conversation face to face, but not on the phone.  Then to make matters worse, the phone was in the kitchen for all to hear your conversation.  Dad was in the living room with the phone in plain view, and the family was milling about the living room and kitchen, so any privacy was just not going to happen.  I tried to act real casual and not bring any attention to myself when I was on the phone, because I didn't want anyone trying to listen to what I was saying.  Our conversation was brief and to the point, "would you like to go out sometime?" he'd asked.   Dah!  What kind of question is that to a girl who has been patiently waiting by the phone for weeks, hoping that each time the phone would ring the call would be for her! Of course I wanted to go out!  I wanted to go out weeks ago!  I answered with a joyful "yes" hoping that I didn't sound too eager, or I should say, desperate.   Our first date would be at the "Regal Lanes" bowling alley.  I had only been bowling once before on a youth activity and I wasn't any good.  I had hoped that he wasn't a good bowler either.  I fussed and fussed with how I looked for the evening, I wanted to look perfect for my first date.  My Dad had informed me that I could go on the date providing there was going to be another couple going, you know, the double dating rule.  I didn't know if Alan had asked someone else to go with us or not, at that point I really didn't care.  All I knew was, I wanted to go with Alan and that was that. When Alan showed up at the door I could tell that he was pretty nervous, because technically this was his first date too.  He had gone to dances with Marsha, but he had never picked her up in a car and did the "come to the door, meet the dad" kind of stuff. (He hadn't gotten his license until the beginning of the summer because he had his arm in a cast from dislocating his elbow in wrestling class.) Having to come to my door and meet my parents was, I'm sure, a very fearful thing for him. Dad treated the meeting pretty well and made Alan feel at ease.  Alan passed the "meeting the strict Dad" routine with flying colors and quickly we were on our way.  I kept stealing glances at him as he was driving down the road.  He was eye candy to me. He was strikingly handsome, with a tan body, sun-bleached hair, and "muscles".  I could tell that he had been working out, he looked strong. From our conversation on the phone, he had said that he worked everyday in laying foundation forms for a construction company and that he had started football practice. So that's why he looked so tan and strong! Our time at the bowling alley was so much fun. It didn't matter that I was a terrible bowler, he was terrible too.  Thank goodness.   He flirted, I flirted, and we were alone, no double-date.  I was worrying about how I was going to tell my Dad that we didn't have another couple with us.  I couldn't, I would just have to tell Dad that the other couple fell through and I didn't want to have to cancel on Alan.  The evening flew by so quickly and I didn't want our date to end, I loved being with him.  We decided to leave the bowling alley and Alan suggested that we stop somewhere and get a bite to eat.  We elected to go the the A&W next door.  We ordered halibut fish and chips, my favorite I decided from that point on.  While we were parked in the stall waiting for our food, we were laughing and tickling each other and having such a great time. Then I looked forward out the front window of the car and gasped!  There, straight across from me in another car, was my aunt and uncle.  "Oh no," I thought, "that's just great"! Now my relatives were going to tell my Dad that they saw us at A&W and that we were alone. What was I going to do?