Life Is But A Dream

Ann Arbor - My Kind of Town

So as an aside to the normal "life and times of a recently employed college grad," some action at the box house (note the lack of capitalization) this evening deserves a forum for discussion. This, my friends, is the chosen forum.


Around 7:30PM this evening, I was inside, watching the cinematic masterpiece, "The Patriot." I noticed Zach standing by the door watching something happening at our neighbors house on Hoover. I asked Zach what he was doing and he told me he was watching one of Ann Arbor finest (a bum) carrying two speakers eyeing the neighbors house. Zach watched the man walk down Hoover towards State. By this time, it had become apparent that he was in search of one of the following:
1. Some new speakers
2. A warm meal
3. Some tobacco
4. Some new BOX friends
5. Some booze

Zach then watched the bum walk in to the partially open door at 933 S. State (a.k.a The box house) It became evident at this point that this man was unwanted in the box house. Knowing that I have had a similar experience with trespassers in that same house, I took it upon myself to dial 911 and inform them of the trespasser.

We followed the bum down Hoover and waited patiently as the 911 dispatcher brought the 5-0 up on the block. Approximately 4 officers approached the house with 3 going behind the house and one entering through the front door. We had waited for the police for about five minutes and not more than 30 seconds after he had entered, the officer walked out with the bum in tow. We talked briefly with the police so they could get our names and phone numbers. After we had finished our conversation, I phoned Chris Vickery who told me they were inside when the bum entered. Zach and I, having completed our good deed for the day, returned home and waited for the police to leave so we could go find out the scoop.


After the police left, we headed over to get the low-down. Here's the story (recreated) from Chris Vickery's mouth:
"So John and I were sitting in the family room watching a movie when we heard a rustling and then saw someone slam down two speakers on the desk in the foyer. The bum walked in and told us he had found the speakers in the trash and they were ours. He made claim that the speakers were worth about $200 retail. He walked in to the family room, sat in the roller-chair and got face-to-face with me lying on the couch. He asked me if it was okay to search through the beer cans on the table to find some wounded soldiers to see if there was any left. To his disappointment, he wasn't able to find any leftovers. He then returned to his chair and his face-to-face position and asked me if we had any beers. I told him we were fresh out and then he asked if we had any cigarettes. Knowing there was one lying on the A/C unit behind me and wanting to get the bum out of my face immediately, I handed him the cigarette. The bum, now with cigarette, mentioned that he no longer carried lighters as his friends did crack and he went through the too quickly. However, luckily this bum must have been a boyscout as he was carrying a pack of matches. Contented, the bum rolled himself in to a good position to watch some TV and smoke his cig with us. The spot he found: Directly in front of the TV only a few feet away. Confused and now angry, John, trying to watch TV, told the bum he couldn't smoke in the house and he was in the way of the TV. It was at the point the cop walked in and said, 'Charlie, what are you doing here?' This bum was well known around town.

It sounds like Charlie was friendly and meant no harm. However under different circumstances, the situation could have been much dirtier had a) No one been home or b) The bum been of a more violent mindset.

I was amazed that the police response time was under 5 minutes. They came quickly and in force. It's good to know that while they're not giving MIP's and parking tickets, they are responsive.

posted by brent @ 8:31 PM