Burgled at MidDay

by Doug Roland

I've been the victim of a break-in twice, the last time was in 1969. So every 43 years +/- isn't bad. Still, Just as in 1969, you feel violated.

Monday was the first day back in class. Our first group went off to Field Education. Only a few minutes later we went home to change clothes and found that several things we used, enjoyed and cared for were missing.

Cheri noticed a broken security bar. As we looked around, we could tell that something we all fear had happened. A sickening feeling surrounded us.

The thefts were similar in some ways - an emphasis on technology and jewelry. In 1969, it was my first TV, a Zenith table model, black and white, and my college fraternity pin. Monday, it was a hand held Garmin, a camera, two new Kindle Touch readers, a boom box, Flip video camera, new Nikon binoculars, and two very good backpacks. Finally, he (we think he was alone) swiped both of our tennis shoes, each about ready to fall apart. The drawers had been searched for jewelry but Cheri brought very little to begin with. One thing he missed was a very fine cross an necklace I bought for her on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. We can be thankful for that. They also didn't seem to bother with the kitchen and a very nice and expensive set of knives was overlooked.

The cops came quickly, two were rapid response officers, two more were investigators. We had a case number within an hour. Two more came today. We are told that the fingerprint guys would come soon. They were very professional.

It's just stuff, you tell yourself, but you don't really believe it. You say you can forgive the robber, but would you? It's difficult not just because he messed with our stuff but also because it is an affront to us as social beings, a tiny slit in the fabric that holds us together. It's one of the original ten sins. That doesn't mean we should not forgive him. So, let's say we do forgive him wherever he is, that doesn't prevent us from grieving for a loss. In fact the two are often connected - forgiveness and grief.

I can live without worn out tennis shoes. But the other things are important. That TV was my first purchase with my first paycheck as a teacher. The pin was a reminder that I served as president of a large fraternity at Indiana. As to the recent theft, our son, Nat, expressed it well.

"The burglars got just about all of your "tools" for enjoyment of life outside of work."

He and our daughter-in-law had just given us the Kindles for Christmas. We've been reading a lot, and I can see so much better. I just spotted a species of eagle we had not seen before, using the binoculars. The Garmin was a gift from them in 2010 to help us get around in a strange land. It saved us many times. We had just used our backpacks the day before for a wonderful hike to see cave drawings from the ancient San people. Fortunately, I had loaded all the photographs on to the computer. We can be thankful for that.

We had just moved in before going home for Christmas. We knew there was no alarm system and was riskier than the first house. As well, our insurance was based, in part, on the security of the first house and not the second. I had forgotten to advise them of the address change, so I do not expect to get much from the insurance company.

I can of course happen anywhere, any time, but it's never easy. It leaves us a little empty.