In about an hour I'm going to look at a bike I found on Craig's List. We're meeting at a gas station near where the seller lives. I've bought and sold a lot of things on C's L and three times I've had to meet people at places other than their homes. In every case they have been people from affluent suburbs who are apparently of the opinion that I, or others, were coming to look at their stuff in order to plan or commit some crime against them. I personally don't care enough about their crap to steal it.
I have a friend who refuses to blow his car horn because he's convinced everyone's carrying. I on the other hand not only blow my horn but yell "dumb ***" out the window when cut off in traffic or otherwise confronted by a dumb ***. I feel it is my civic duty to tell people they are being dumb ***** so that they don't go through life believing the way they act is ok.
My former neighbors never opened their windows for fear of being robbed. In the middle of the day their doors and windows were locked up tight. They lived in the house for nearly 60 years and in the ten years I lived next door to them they never so much as opened their curtains. The one exception they allowed was their kitchen window that they kept open a couple of inches. To make potential burglars think they were awake and alert they kept a radio going all the time, every day, all day as in all_the_time. Many nights I fell asleep hearing their radio playing. They were lovely, god-fearing people who lived in a prison of their own fear.
I decided long ago not to live my life in fear. I don't take unnecessary risks. I wear my seat belt without fail. I come off the lake when the lightning starts. I know when it's ok to make eye contact and when it's not. But I've also allowed strangers in my home many times when selling on C's L. I once sold a guitar to a kid who brought his friend and his granny along. They came in like they lived there and sat down for a good long chat. I thought at a point I'd have to get a plate of cookies. But I sold the guitar and no one got hurt. You really can't ask more out of life than that.
I have a friend who refuses to blow his car horn because he's convinced everyone's carrying. I on the other hand not only blow my horn but yell "dumb ***" out the window when cut off in traffic or otherwise confronted by a dumb ***. I feel it is my civic duty to tell people they are being dumb ***** so that they don't go through life believing the way they act is ok.
My former neighbors never opened their windows for fear of being robbed. In the middle of the day their doors and windows were locked up tight. They lived in the house for nearly 60 years and in the ten years I lived next door to them they never so much as opened their curtains. The one exception they allowed was their kitchen window that they kept open a couple of inches. To make potential burglars think they were awake and alert they kept a radio going all the time, every day, all day as in all_the_time. Many nights I fell asleep hearing their radio playing. They were lovely, god-fearing people who lived in a prison of their own fear.
I decided long ago not to live my life in fear. I don't take unnecessary risks. I wear my seat belt without fail. I come off the lake when the lightning starts. I know when it's ok to make eye contact and when it's not. But I've also allowed strangers in my home many times when selling on C's L. I once sold a guitar to a kid who brought his friend and his granny along. They came in like they lived there and sat down for a good long chat. I thought at a point I'd have to get a plate of cookies. But I sold the guitar and no one got hurt. You really can't ask more out of life than that.
