The Alaska State Writing Consortium
Northern Lit - ASWC's eZine

Openings

Michael

breaking

I never thought there was such a thing as a bad opening until just a couple of days ago when my car got broken into. I was always the kind of person who thought, How could something so bad happen to me. That kind of stuff only happens to other people.” Something like this had never hit me before, and I guess my time was up.

I woke up a bit late on a Wednesday morning, threw on some clothes, and quickly drove to school. On the way there, I plugged in my brand new iPod to my brand new stereo system. I parked, and then in my rush to get to class, I forgot to grab my iPod, though I did lock my doors so I didn’t worry about it too much. Two hours later I returned from lunch to discover a broken rear passenger window. Someone had “opened” and got into my car.

Upon closer inspection, I first realized my iPod was gone, then my stereo and about 50 of my favorite CDs. I just about cried, and trust me, I’m not big into the crying thing. I got the school security guard, and called the police. A report was filed, and they fingerprinted my car, then I drove home in mid-January weather without a jacket on, and with an open window. I was angry, sad, and confused all at the same time. I wondered why would a person come to my school in the middle of the day to steal $700 worth of stuff out of a dirty, busted up Kia Sportage? I had absolutely no hope that they would find whoever did it, and if they did, my stuff would probably already be sold on eBay.

hand

About a week later I got a call from the police officer, wondering if I could meet him because he thought he might have found my stereo. We met at the police station, and he showed me a couple various CD players, and I had to tell him that sadly, none of them are mine. He told me that he got a lead from a student that kids from a different school were coming to my school to take people’s stuff. He searched one of the kid’s houses and found the stereos that he was showing me. He said that he would try to get into the others kids’ houses to try to get my stuff back, but that he couldn’t make any promises. I thanked him, and went home quite relieved.

After all is said and done, I’m not too upset (at least anymore) about my car getting broken into. I might have one yellow, and five blue tinted windows, but other than that I have been using my old iPod, and my girlfriend bought me an even nicer stereo for Valentine’s day. It might have been a painful and expensive opening, but in the end it was a positive learning experience. I now know that I could always be that one person that something bad happens to, but in the end I know it will always work out.