To catch a thief...

Day 1 - 12:30 am

The architect and the designer of the house have done a wonderful job…The water pipe, the parapet wall, the window sash, the ventilator wood-work above the sash, all in order for Eddy. He wears his face mask,  climbs on the water pipe and gets into the first floor room where the safe is located.  

What he finds therein is shocking.  He can’t believe his eyes. A stealing in progress in total darkness.  A shadowy figure is struggling to open the safe, trying a bunch of keys one by one.  He makes up his mind, runs to the shadow man, catches him tightly and whispers…<Don’t shout, Just do as I say. Open the safe and share the loot with me 50/50. I will go my way and you can yours. Otherwise I will have to stab you>. He brandishes his newly bought knife. The unexpected happens. The shadow man bounces back and let Eddy see the well polished handgun in his hand. He is angry at Eddy…<Are you not ashamed of what you are doing? Stealing at this young age? Let me see your face>.

Eddy is confused and scared…being a novice in the art of robbing,  Eddy drops his knife, takes off the mask, then in a cynical tone retorts…<How can I be ashamed in front of an experienced thief who does stealing for living?  This is my first attempt and may be my last if I find a job tomorrow>. <You can’t justify, my buddy. No real difference between one day theft and a life long theft>…the shadow man responds. Eddy doesn’t approve him vocally neither starts arguing.

At this point, their low tone conversation gets interrupted by the sleepy voice of a lady in the adjacent room…<Frank, how many times I repeat.  Stop stealing. Come and sleep, Darling. We have to wake up early morning>. 

Eddy is awestruck.  He doesn’t mind the shadow man, now Frank,  ordering him….<Come tomorrow morning at 9:30 to see me here in my house. If you fail, I will have to report you to the police. And now go back the way you came in. My wife is sleeping.>.

Day 2 - 9:30 am.

Eddy takes a deep breath and opens the iron gate of the house.  He sees Frank standing in the portico. Good Lord, he is a police officer. He turns back to run but gets stopped by the growling of a german shepherd with fiery eyes staring at him, with its salivating tongue and wide open mouth.  Frank whistles. The dog retreats and sits next to him obediently.

Frank leads Eddy to the living room, makes him sit and talks in a friendly tone…<Look, young man, Forget yesterday night. Today is a new day. I offer you a job, take it and get settled in your life>.  

Eddy agrees to be his watchman.  He wants to ask the million dollar question but does not have the courage…why was he stealing in his own house and that too, being a police officer.

Day 3 - 6:00 pm.

Eddy helps the noisy man get out of his long sedan, shouting affectionately….<Diana, is my bil (brother-in-law) still stealing>.  Frank’s wife swears…<Can’t stop him, Bob. Everytime I hide the safe key, he uses his police flair, finds it out, opens the safe and gets them out. His doctor says no but he says yes. I even ask his colleagues to watch him so the only way for him is to get them out from the safe. He gets this craving at least 2 or 3 times in a month. I buy the chocolates for my kids and I hide them for my man. I am sick and tired of this hide and seek game>. 

Bob laughs out loudly….<Oh dear, you are too harsh. You should let him have his chocolates once in a while.  Anyway, don’t worry. You have got a watchman now and he will make sure no thief, internal or external, opens the safe any longer>. He winks at Eddy.  And Eddy nods his head.

Day 10 - 12:30 am 

There is movement in the first floor safe room. No light is switched on. Eddy takes a long look. <Should I go and catch the thief or just pretend not to see anything? >…he asks himself.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------