Mr.Duck on 22/9/2009 at 23:21

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This reminds me of an amussing anecdote one of my best mates from our hometown once told me.

A little background info first...

His mom has a little restaurant (so to speak...) that sells birria (dunno the translation in English) which, if memory serves, is goat's meat in some broth that's supposedly v.good at curing hangovers. This place is called El Chivito Feliz (The Happy Little Goat), which is located downtown Culiacan (not the nicest of places to be after dark).

My friend used to work part time there to help with business and such so he met a lot of people from downtown, many of them very shady and dangerous characters (a few with a murder, or two, on their backs). Since my bud is a very cool, easy going fellow, he got along with a few junkies that worked downtown. One of'em had (dunno if he's still alive, for obvious reasons...) a cousin who was a hitman (not sure if freelance or working for any drug cartel in particular).

My friend's acquaintance introduced him to his cousin who found my mate to be a cool person. After a few drinks and telling him that he could get a low-profile hit for free (for being "friends" with his junkie cousin). Nice guy...

On to the anecdote...

To make light conversation and with a few drinks on top of him he told my friend something "very funny" (as the hitman said) that had happened to him once when he was at his house. Apparently, a burglar had broken into his home while he was around late at night.

The burglar wasn't being very quiet about it so he spotted him quickly in the living room before he could escape, when he saw the burglar he grinned broadly and said "Man, it's a good thing you showed up!". The burglar being more surprised than afraid got cocky and asked why was that. The hitman pulled out a big gun (my friend's words) and waved it in front of the burglar as he answered him "Well, I just bought this baby recently and I've been dying to try it on!". Funny thing is, he didn't kill the burglar, just crippled him with a shot to the kneecaps.

The lesson here?, if you're the burglar. Just run, run.

Gotta love Mexico.

Ostriig - In any case, it's good that he ran away as soon as he knew someone was at your place :)

Tocky on 23/9/2009 at 02:07

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Heh. This reminds me of the time a buddy of mine was in a bad part of Memphis when his car broke down. He was on his back working on it when he felt something stick his leg. He wriggles out and this guy is pointing a knife down at him telling him how bad he is going to cut him up if he doesn't fork over the wallet. So he reaches over his head and under his seat, pulls his gun out, and shoots him in the knee. No charges were filed but they kept his gun which is pretty standard. He was lucky he wasn't sued.

It's hard to know what to do in those situations. Suppose his bullet had ricocheted off the bone and killed an innocent? If it were me I would have tossed my wallet and said fetch but I'm rarely armed anyway (sides a pocketknife). We had someone break in and steal a silver dollar collection and some steaks and it turned out to be a couple of teenagers. Suppose you were home and killed them? Couple of stupid kids. Best just to scare them without a warning shot because that could take a bad bounce too.

Get one of those motion activated lights. Be vigilent in checking the doors and windows. Don't believe you have to pull a trigger just because you pull a gun. Most of all realize nothing you own is worth a life. I sympathize though. Once around midnight I woke to the bedroom doorknob rattling. I ripped the locked door on the headboard open, jacked a round in the chamber, and still didn't make it to the door in time to see who it was. I checked the kids and all doors and windows. It could have been one of my sons friends picking the wrong door for all I know. Zero sleep that night though.

Living with a gun is living with death and it's a sad irony that the only thing worth owning one for is protection of loved ones when they too are at risk. I'm country. I grew up with them. Everyone here has them. My son is now head of security someplace in Dayton. I have no fondness for them and wish we were like the Brits.

Shayde on 23/9/2009 at 06:55

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A few years ago when I'd hear them in the house I'd go check it out with a hockey stick and a will-kill-attitude. Now I go lock myself in the baby's room and wait until it's late enough to call the insurance company.

You should be cautious for the next few months, the guy has seen all your valuables and security measures, it'll be easier for him to get in next time without being noticed.

bob_doe_nz on 23/9/2009 at 09:58

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The worst part of attempted break ins is trying to sleep after the incident. The smallest creak or flex from inside or outside makes you wake up at a moments notice.

Happened to me.

Elusive Paladin on 23/9/2009 at 13:57

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I had a terrible experience where I woke up to literally see a guy standing over my bed. He was facing away, shining a torch around looking for valuables, but in that moment I understood the phrase "blood turned to ice" better than ever before. Thankfully the alarm went off mere seconds later - no idea why - and they fled out the same window they broke to get in.