On vacation is about the only time the door is locked, drapes closed. Voices in the hallway or on the sidewalk outside the window, car doors closing, thumps. There was this once I'm sitting at my desk, window open, warm summer night, blood-curdling scream. Right outside the window. I was halfway down the exterior stairs before I realized I was barefoot, no shirt, in my scivvy shorts...came to a halt on the cold concrete but then I heard Jim open his door and head off at a rush down the hallway toward the interior stairwell. We lived on the second floor. Lady from next door...student...had her purse grabbed by some knucklehead, long gone. This other time, same thing, sitting at my desk, reading or whatever...glass breaks. I go to one window, part the drapes, open window, stick my head out...
...this was a neighborhood where, shortly after moving in...ground floor corner apartment, I wake up one morning, hear voices outside, look outside, and guys in nylon windbreaks, letters on the back, have the house there posted at all corners, handguns. I think whoever was living there was long gone as they pow-wowed in the parking lot.
...anyway, glass breaks, I look out one window, nothing. Walk through to the living room window, part drapes, look out, I see some guy walking under the overhanging walkway of the apartment house across from me. He pauses at what I know is the office there, reaches in through a broken window, opens the door, steps in. Wow! I get on the horn...this is before cell phones...talking to the 911 operator, guy breaking in...corner of Alaska and Chimes I tell her where I'm at...guy comes out of the office, has what appears to be keys...he's trying to open the next door. Waitin. I'm giving her the play-by-play. No cops yet. The guy is back into the office.
I tell the 911 operator I'm going to go tackle the guy. NO! she yells. He's getting away I say...headed toward the river. Ten seconds later a cop car enters the parking lot from the right...another ten seconds and the operator tells me they have him. Thank you. Had to put my shoes on when a cop knocked as brought me over to a car...several cars there...guy in the backseat, cuffed. Yeah, that's him. Wanted to leave town, head north...had to stick around and then the guy must have plead to something...never went before the judge.