guys-i was nearly laci petersoned last night!!!

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so at 3:30 this morning i was roused from sleep by a persistent knocking at my apartment door and the incessant barking of the boyfriend's dog. being gigantically preggers, and alone in the apartment, i waffled on whether or not to answer the door.

after weighing the various factors, i decided to answer. i figured it was one of my needy and adventurous alcoholic friends in dire straits. plus, i live in a nice neighborhood consisting primarily of giant one family residences with a very low crime rate.i was hesitant because of my lack of a peephole and the fact that i was alone in the house, but i grabbed the cordless phone and opened the door but did not unlatch the chain lock.

standing in the hall was a giant lurching white man in a creepy trenchcoat. he claimed to 'live down the street'. he said that he was locked out of his house and car and that he had seen that a light was on in my window and thus came to my door seeking help. i asked him what he thought i could do. he said that the locksmith he had called (not sure on what phone, he didn't have a cell with him) would not let him into his house, where his wallet was, without being paid first. he asked to borrow $40. i didn't buy his story, having locked myself out of my car numerous times and never having that sort of trouble from the locksmith company. also, i didn't even have the cash in the house anyway, and told him so. so then he asks to come in and use the phone. i said no but offered to let him use the cordless through the doorcrack. he (quite suspicously) said no thanks. he then asks if i could drive him to an atm somewhere. at that point he began to act a bit more nervous and shifty. so i decided to nip it in the bud. i told him that no way was i going anywhere with a stranger, nor was i going to let him into my house. i then dialed 9-1 on the phone and showed him. i told him that i was going to shut and lock the door and that he should leave the building immediately, and that if i or the dog heard anything remotely suspicious i would dial the other 1. and i shut the door and locked it, and went back to bed. he silently left the building and i saw him wander down the sidewalk and into the night, in search of some other victim.

anyway, i wonder if he was a deranged killer or wanted to steal my tv. also, i wonder if maybe there is a tiny 5% chance that he really did need help. opinions?

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:18 (twenty-one years ago)

wasn't worth it. too creepy. good work.

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I think you genuinely made the right decision.

― The Phantom of the Operating System (kate), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)

in all my years of locking myself out of various residences, i have never come across a company that demanded payment first. that's total bullshit. emily, you are very luck that nothing happened to you. i would have call the police immediately.

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)

You should have dialed 911 all the way and reported him. You never know. Very suspicious. He probably just wanted money though - otherwise, he would have kicked the door in.. (That little chain does nothing, you know.)

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:25 (twenty-one years ago)

and em, said locksmiths were largely nyc locksmiths whose financial rapaciousness is LEGENDARY. if they were willing to get my door open before demanding $550, then that's saying something.

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:26 (twenty-one years ago)

don't believe him. i mean nobody in their right minds would ask if someone would drive them to an ATM. i mean, the locksmith could have done it. The whole story just doesn't add up.

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:27 (twenty-one years ago)

I was afraid you were going to say you were dating this guy at the end of the story.

The only thing I would have done differently would have been to have called 911 and had him picked up.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, anyone who's genuinely in trouble (as he claims he was) would be glad if you called to police to assist them.

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:28 (twenty-one years ago)

It would be incredibly strange/stupid for a company who specialises in letting you back in your house to assume that you thought, "Yeah, just let me grab a few hundred dollars before I go--you never know".

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:29 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, it didn't occur to me to go ahead and call the police anyway. i feel bad now that i didn't. i hope he didn't have any luck.

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:30 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG Emily why does the craziest stuff always be happening to you?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

don't feel too badly.. you're safe, after all.

xpost

and yeah, careful with those chains. they're shit.

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:33 (twenty-one years ago)

i dunno, nick! i am a freak magnet!

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Is Nathan's dog a big dog?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:34 (twenty-one years ago)

You handled that really well, actually.

― mcd (mcd), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:35 (twenty-one years ago)

he weighs about 45 lbs. so medium sized, i guess. he is a border collie/australian shephard mix. and very friendly, not at all a guard dog. but he did keep barking and the creep didn't know that he is just a big ball of furry love.

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Thursday, 27 January 2005 14:36 (twenty-one years ago)

jesus christ that is creepy! I'm glad you're ok

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:01 (twenty-one years ago)

STRANGERHATER

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:03 (twenty-one years ago)

(j/k, that's scary)

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:04 (twenty-one years ago)

That is very creepy. I'm glad everything turned out okay.

― Leon the Fatboy (Ex Leon), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:06 (twenty-one years ago)

You were way more polite than necessary. If anyone knocks on my door at 3:30am it's an automatic eye-gouging.

― Drake Beardo (cprek), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Answer one rapping at the door, nevermore.

― TEH RAVIN' (nickalicious), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:11 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG emily, that sounds horribly creepy, Glad you are ok. When are you due btw?

― PinXorchiXoR (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:12 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw this had happened to Will Self the other day (for his Observer column). He volunteered some spare petrol from his garage. "Umm, no you're all right" said the man, on his toes...

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Having a .40 caliber hand gun instead of a cordless phone usually cuts down on the conversation time.

― jay blanchard (jay blanchard), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:16 (twenty-one years ago)

i am due monday, pink.

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)

yay!

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)

i am due monday, pink.
I was actually thinking earlier today, whether or not you'd actually had the baby & you were actually getting hassled but some guy!!

― PinXorchiXoR (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Hurrah for Monday! I get to be the godfather of course (Nickalicious can stand in for me).

More seriously, that is VERY freaky but you did the right thing indeed, as everyone has already said.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:23 (twenty-one years ago)

You certainly handled yourself well. But, personally, I would've called the cops anyways. What if he was successful (beyond just robbery even)?

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:44 (twenty-one years ago)

yes, i am now riddled with guilt. is there a way to find out if any crime occurred in the area last night?

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:45 (twenty-one years ago)

God damn that is so creepy. I'm so glad you're okay. I'd call the police today anyway. Just so they know to keep an eye out for this freak.

― Je4nne ƒury (Jeanne Fury), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

you may be able to still report it now so that they have a description of the guy if anything did happen.

― PinXorchiXoR (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Don't feel bad about it.. It's easy for us to tell you what you should have done.. However, it's not too late to call it in - the police usually do like to track incidents like this, even if nothing else happened last night.

xpost

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:48 (twenty-one years ago)

He was out to rob, not murder. The only thing you did wrong was talking to him as long as you did.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Thursday, 27 January 2005 15:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Holy crap! Glad you're all right.

― Curious George Rides a Republican (Rock Hardy), Thursday, 27 January 2005 16:26 (twenty-one years ago)

That's terrifying - I'm glad you did what you did, Emily.

― luna (luna.c), Thursday, 27 January 2005 16:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I think Jeanne is right - call the police today anyway to let them know.

― luna (luna.c), Thursday, 27 January 2005 16:51 (twenty-one years ago)

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