Stranger in the Night

[Rugrash]

At about 12:15am this morning, as I was about to goto sleep, I heard my doorbell ring a few times. No one I know would come around at that time of night especially w/o calling first. The alarm was already set so I grabbed my cell and my 12ga. I noticed a red sportscar blocking my driveway. I heard the person yell the name "Eric" a few times. With all the lights out I proceeded downstairs to my front door which has decorative glass and I could now see this person actually knocking on my neighbors door (we share a walkway and our doors face each other). He knocked loudly a few more time and then left. I went back upstairs to see if I could get a look at his license plate and I noticed him pissing in my bushes!! When he was finished he got into his vehicle and drove off. This was obviously a drunk idiot trying to find a friend and happened to get the wrong address. I never did get the license plate either. I'll have to talk to my neighbors about it tomorrow.

This is the first time this has happened to me and it was strange!! My strategy in case my alarm is tripped is to barricade myself and my wife in our bedroom (armed of course) and wait for the police to arrive. Since I do not have house clearing training I would not attempt to do so. The only reason I even went downstairs this morning was b/c the alarm wasn't tripped.

I also remember someone (a German) who got shot through a door by a homeowner a number of years ago here in Houston. This guy however was really banging and yelling.

Has anyone else had something like this happen to them??

Thanks,

Rug

[Venus Pax]

I haven't had anyone pull this, but I wouldn't be surprised if the guy was indeed drunk or high.
I did have a character come to my door one day trying to get me to open it. He eventually said that he "uh, made deliveries in this area." The truck in my driveway was not UPS, FedEx, or USPS, and I didn't recognize the man or his voice. When I told him to just leave my package at the doorway, he said "aw, just forget it." and stomped off. I promptly reported this character to the sheriff's office.
I was prepared to shoot had he chosen to let himself in. (Letting oneself in my home requires fenagling, since I keep all doors & windows locked.)

[fadlan12]

I had a guy last friday knock on the door at 1:15 am, he was my nieghbor and must have been out drinking. He thought his wife was home and wanted to use my phone. I let him since I knew him but I handed him the phone and shut and bolted the door again with him outside. Next time the cops will be called. What kind of person wants thinks its ok to wake someone up like that!?!

[jimlongley]

Never had it at this house, but the last house I lived in had a house with the same number across the street (real good urban planning) and we used to get people who were looking for 8517 Valley Falls knocking on 8517 Wildcreek's door regularly, and vice versa.

I surprised more than a few people by meeting them at the door armed - and of course there were the dogs.

[Paladin]

the last house I lived in had a house with the same number across the street (real good urban planning) and we used to get people who were looking for 8517 Valley Falls knocking on 8517 Wildcreek's door regularly, and vice versa.

I used to have that problem in when I lived in Austin. There was an "east" and a "west" version of my street, with the same house numbers.

I always wondered what kind of idiot layed those things out.

[pfgrone]

My strategy in case my alarm is tripped is to basically barricade my bedroom door with the wife

Well, that might work if she is big enough. I know, my bad. Sorry. Couldn't stop myself.
Paul

[seamusTX]

We used to have bums come around and ask if they could work for food or cash. Most of them were honest. One guy gave me a big sob story about needing money for a bus ticket to visit his dying father in Dallas. I had him do enough work to barely justify giving him $20.

He showed up around midnight that night, crying and begging for more money. He reeked of alcohol. I ran him off and that was the end of my compassion for bums.

The previous occupants of this house apparently ran in a rough crowd. Every now and then someone would ring the bell looking for them. The last one showed up about seven years after we bought the house. I think he had been in prison.

None of these people were overt threats, but everyone with a pulse is a potential threat.

Years ago, when I lived in Chicago, I read about a family that had unknowingly bought a house that had been a bordello. They had men ringing the bell day and night looking for "services," and some of them were persistent and obnoxious. Now that's bad luck.

- Jim

[Rugrash]

LOL...nice one...I'll be sure to show her your post. She weighs about a buck-o-five so she wouldn't be that great as a barricade.

-Rug

BTW Seamus...I see you're in Galvatraz. I spent 20 years there and was paroled (BHS 1989).

[oilman]

We used to have bums come around and ask if they could work for food or cash. Most of them were honest. One guy gave me a big sob story about needing money for a bus ticket to visit his dying father in Dallas.
- Jim

I have heard the "need a bus ticket to Dallas" story several times myself.

[KD5NRH]

I have heard the "need a bus ticket to Dallas" story several times myself.

Heck, I heard it a few times *in Dallas.*

There's a reason I'm slowly accumulating Fobus paddles for all the house handguns; mainly because it makes them easier to carry while answering the door with a 12ga full of 3.5" magnums. I've heard horror stories about some shotguns suddenly deciding to have trouble feeding 3.5s, so it's nice to have a Government Model or PT-99 full of Golden Sabers as a backup.

[carlson1]

We used to have bums come around and ask if they could work for food or cash. Most of them were honest. One guy gave me a big sob story about needing money for a bus ticket to visit his dying father in Dallas. I had him do enough work to barely justify giving him $20.- Jim

This happens at our Church weekly. I have never GAVE anyone money that was capable of working. One week I had our "clean restrooms" cleaned 8 times just to give a man $20.00. I have found in our business that they always send their wife, girlfriend, etc. . . in for money. I have never had the problem at our home- yet. . . I am not for sure I would do this at my home because of the "return" visit.

[longtooth]

Wife or girl friend comes in I send them back out to get the H. Sometimes that puts them on the road because the man will not come in. When they do come in I tell them this is their responsibility first. Caring for the family means more than working at a job. If they need help it is his responsibility to do the asking. Then we will feed them & give work if they want it. If they have a pac of cigs in their pocket I tell them God gave them the money they were asking for & they burned it up. That burns them up sometimes too.

[seamusTX]

Most suburbanites are not going to have bums coming to the door. Galveston is such a small place and has so many homeless people, it's an ongoing problem.

I try to be a good Christian and feed the hungry, etc.; but the hustlers are too much. I now think it's better to give the money to the Salvation Army or another group that can help them in an organized way.

Hey, Rugrash, I still like the place. The only place I would move is the Hill Country, if I had a job opportunity there.

- Jim