If a Burglar Came

This is a scenario I thought of when two bags of trash were sitting in the kitchen against the back door. For much of this time, which was during the day, the door was unlocked, though it is normally locked. I thought of various incarnations of the story, some of them with me starting it and some with my mother starting it, before deciding on the one here.

I planned to tell this story to my mother, but I put it off for quite a while before saying anything. When I did, though, she seemed to be distracted with what she was doing or thinking at the time, and it was hard to get her full attention. She did finally mention that she thought the Boston Terrier was much more likely than the Pekingese to grab the burglar's shoes and run around the yard with them.

This story is dated 12:28 AM, November 4, 2008, Arizona time (MST).


IF A BURGLAR CAME

My mother: There are bags of trash still sitting against the door.

Me: Yes, and the door is unlocked, too. Anyone could get in.

My mother: Yes, anyone could get in.

Me: If someone did, he would go, "What the ??? AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" and fall face first over the trash. Then the little dogs (a Boston Terrier and a Pekingese) would come up and grab his shoes in their mouths and run madly back and forth over the yard with them. The burglar, rendered helpless by the loss of his shoes and knowing that the game was over, would take out his cell phone and call 911 himself and tell them to just come and get him and get it over with.

[Pause]

My mother: That is very strange. [finally smiles]