You Take the Bad with the Bad

When Dooce's car was broken in to recently, and then Holly's, it never occurred to me that maybe I should start taking some precautions. In fact, I have actually thought to myself, on more than one occasion, that not taking my car stereo face plate off was justified given that we seem to live in a fine enough neighborhood and there usually are far nicer cars parked on the street than mine.

But last night it happened, and my car was robbed (again). Unlike the first time, they didn't break the window, instead opting to apparently jimmy the thing open through the insulating foam surrounding the glass. Last time I had my car broken in to (on a trip to DC for a 9:30 club show) we collectively lost various iPods, keys, Timbuk2s, clothing, and wallets, but no CDs (despite having two huge books available) and no stereo. This time I lost the stereo, the handy new cord that connected my iPod to said stereo, and about 15 CDs.

Luckily my CD books were safe at home, but I almost feel more violated given the fact that the burglar snatched every last disc from my visor CD holder (even the spillover that I hid behind it!) but not the visor itself, which would have been a much more efficient way to go. I suspect he didn't look at the discs as he grabbed them in the dark, since I doubt he would've wanted the [primarily burned indie rock] albums I had to offer.

I know it could've been worse. I can live (barely) without a stereo for a while, and had my window been broken it would've needed immediate replacement and added yet another hundred dollars or so to my skyrocketing credit card bill. Sometimes I forget to take my wallet out of my car, and I used to leave my iPod in there. Given that the thief removed every last piece of paper from my glove compartment, and every solitary pen (there must be 50+) from my center console, I know he would've grabbed anything else of value that was available.

Still, it sucks. It makes me feel like this city is out to get me, or that I'm doing, or did, something wrong. But maybe it's simpler than that. Maybe it's just kids whose mama's didn't bring them up right, and to them I couldn't have said it better: "FUCK YOU, YOU FUCKING FUCKERS."

UPDATE: You know what else they took? All my gum. WTF?