what do you think of this?

[briandg]

think this one over with me.

Right this moment, some fool is outside my window, chanting gibberish, and tapping something against the pole of the street sign.

"ashh shakk ashh nahh shhissh noshh shishh kahhh"

Ding ding ding ding!


(At least a reasonable reproduction.)

My blinds are all drawn, he seems to be alone, and my rifle is still against the wall near my front door. I'm going to just sit here and ignore him for now. if I hear foot steps in the leaves in my yard, okay, I'll do something about it.

[briandg]

Well, never mind, Cthullhu apparently left. I don't know whether I should have stepped out and looked for where he was going or not.

Where does someone draw the line between just kinda weird, and potentially threatening?

In this case, i guess it will be tomorrow morning when I find out that either someone was butchered in their nearby home by cultists, or if nothing happened at all.

[chris in va]

You did fine. Not a good idea to go 'investigate' outside the safety of your house.

[SHNOMIDO]

fungus abuser?

I would have let it go on for a few minutes, and if it made me paranoid or ticked me off i would have reported suspicious activity to the police

A lot of times a car will circle the block like 10 times, and i want to call the police cause it makes me nervous, but i always figure I'm exaggerating. i cant remember the last time a crime was commited around here, so they probably deserve the benefit of the doubt. probably just lost or looking to pick up their buddy.

[briandg]

We have a few kids in the area, there are a few teenagers, there are a few kids in their 20s, and even a handful of kids that have some sort of folk band. Acoustic guitar,washboard, fiddle, etc.

I have no clue what that was about. Probability leans towards one of the above sitting out there reciting an incantation from "harry potter and the 120 wasted hours," or something like that.

10 years ago a similar event happened. this house has a big patio. At some time in the past, it was enclosed, roofed over, and is now a screened room. I've always had insomnia problems. One night I woke up around 3. I went downstairs to the kitchen to fix a cup of coffee. when the kitchen light went on, the door to the patio slammed. Someone had been prowling outside my house/inside my sun room at 3 am. I fixed my coffee, went upstairs, and called it in to the police. Over the next few months, I heard about other incidents. One of them, the guy got in through an open door, got food, and cooked on the people's gas grill. (Unofficial channels about the cooking; it was only listed as a breakin.)

Halloween is supposed to be over.

[BlackFeather]

When I was a teenager, maybe 14, I decided the Stop sign on this corner sounded amazingly like a gong whenever I heel kicked it. Well, I did it a couple more times out of amusement. When my friend and I started walking back home we were stopped by the police. Someone called them saying "there are two kids smoking crack or something outside, I see smoke." It was winter, after dark. I understand saying that we were making noise, destroying property, or something, but smoking CRACK on a street corner in a small town?

Anyway, you did fine. Keep alert, as I'm sure you will. I'd make some noise just in case. And don't leave any chips on the counter

[C0untZer0]

You never heard the song that goes "ashh shakk ashh nahh shhissh noshh shishh kahhh..." ?

What radio station do you listen to?

[briandg]

you know what's REALLY FUNNY about that? One of my old teachers told me a story. He was at home grading papers one night, heard noise out on his lawn, looked out, and there were a bunch of people sitting in a circle on his lawn with flashlights. They were chanting something. he was getting ready to call the police when he finally heard it clearly enough.

"HOOga chacka HOOga chacka..."

(only old people will get that)

It was a bunch of students, and they were chanting the chorus from "hooked on a feeling" by Blue Swede.

We had been having all sorts of devil worship and paranormal scares that year; some dude had even skinned a raccoon and dumped the carcass on a street.

Obviously, even in a small town in missouri, a de-pelted raccoon could only have been done by cultists, right?

[BlackFeather]

You want to talk about cults? One of the local churches had an entire meeting about ME. They had to discuss this "Devil worshipper" who moved into town. They even assumed I had something to do with bomb threats at the school, the supposed "Wiccan Cult", and even accounts of theft.

Because, I listen to a lot of metal music and used to dress the part. Everything from spikes to trench coats and top hats... Oh, the old days...

Years later: http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs...NEWS/708230321

People knew I did martial arts, so they assumed it was me. My landlord even told someone I was one of them. (I actually knew about them before they were stealing stuff, and actually went looking for them at night, to show them a real NINJA)

[briandg]

My granddaddy always used to say something that would have been perfect to say at a time like this.

Too bad I forgot what it was.

Teenage ninjas.

And you, grown up metal ninja devil cultist spiky thing worshiper, better behave yourself. That church has its eye on you...

[Jeremiah/Az]

When I lived in town, I woke up in the middle of the nite & went into the kitchen to get a drink of water. I pulled the curtain back on the back door window to look out with no light on. There was a kids face in the window about 4 inches from mine looking in. I yelled "Hey!" He almost fell over backwards trying to get out of there!

[BlackFeather]

I never said I grew up...

[Skans]

If this happened in my neighborhood, basically in my yard, I would be armed with a cell phone and concealed gun. And, yes, I'm going outside to confront the guy. I don't want some nut loitering around my house banging on things creating a disturbance. Anytime I see someone farting around with something in my yard or next to my yard I confront them (this doesn't happen often). The last time I had to do this it was a 14 year old kid who, for whatever reason, decided to lift a 4" diameter iron lid off of a water valve and throw it into my yard. I confronted him, told him to pick up the lid and put it back. He was carrying some kind of knife that he was using to pry the lid. I asked him about it. He complied and I thanked him.

Its your house. Your neighborhood. You need to let folks know - whether they are causing trouble, looking to cause trouble, or don't belong there that you care about your surroundings and are not afraid of them.

[youngunz4life]

probably some idiot on acid for the night. either way - maybe he is unstable mentally, an escaped patient, does it matter? - I would want the guy out of my area and I wouldn't want to wait for him to do it on his time

[youngunz4life]

probably some idiot on acid for the night. either way - maybe he is unstable mentally, an escaped patient, does it matter? - I would want the guy out of my area and I wouldn't want to wait for him to do it on his time...

[spacecoast]

So what does this have to do with firearms?

[doofus47]

Crazy people be everywhere. It's best to leave them outside (or in the blogosphere, wherever they might be popping up).

[Stressfire]

They had to discuss this "Devil worshipper" who moved into town. They even assumed I had something to do with bomb threats at the school, the supposed "Wiccan Cult"

There is a reason that I do not engage in religious discussions with anyone who does not know me in my small Ohio town

My guess would be mentally unstable or even some random tripper who happened to think that your street sign was the spirit of John Lennon attempting to tell him the secrets of the universe, that or the rabbit from Donnie Darko

I'd likely call it in and remain aware of the situation, kinda like finding the drunk kid in your kitchen at 3am, do you really want to shoot someone not in their right mind who does not mean any harm and is likely incapable of harming anyone?

[youngunz4life]

So what does this have to do with firearms?

he would of course have to decide how to defend himself in this situation and/or make a decision on what actions are necessary(if any) to make sure he and his family are safe.

[pax]

spacecoast,

It falls under Tactics: what tactics should you use to protect your property in the middle of the night, when you aren't sure there's a threat?

Frankly it's a breath of fresh air to hear people talking realistically about everyday occurences that might lead to a heightened level of concern, but don't merit a stronger response. Learning where to draw the line is an essential part of being responsibly armed.

pax

[Buzzcook]

Basically, don't escalate.

Having been a part of several xtian groups and congregations I've seen that they delight in finding satan in people not like themselves. That's a form of escalation.

It's the same kind of thought process that turns a noisy drunk into a belligerent threat.

In this case as in so many others, doing nothing is the best action.

[CWKahrFan]

FWIW, I always keep a very small can of pepper spray RIGHT by my door (and pocket it whenever I go out). There are various levels of threat... I need at least another choice available before I choose bullet.

[Nnobby45]

if I hear foot steps in the leaves in my yard, okay, I'll do something about it.

When you talk about your rifle near by and you "doing something about it", that concerns me. Hope you meant calling police.

As Spacecoast said: What does this have to do with firearms?

OK, I see were Pax pointed out that it falls under tactics. Call the police or keep an eye on him until he moves on. Going out to confront him wouldn't be the best tactic. Armed or unarmed.

Just my thoughts ont he matter.

[spacecoast]

OK, well to hijack an old saying...

"If all you have is a gun, everything looks like a target"

[Nnobby45]

OK, well to hijack an old saying...

"If all you have is a gun, everything looks like a target"
__________________

In his case he also has a phone and a good vantage point. I'd assume, also, a locked door. It's also a good tactic (that can very much work in your favor) to have first called the police in case things deteriorate to a deadly force situation.

Consider a jury made up of retired folks who don't own guns, and aren't your peers. An effort to call the police before hand rather than handle it yourself would go along ways toward preventing you from going before the jury in the first place.

We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. Singing and banging on a sign aren't at the highest level of seriousness. Nor should it be ignored.