OK, I have just transitioned from "hypothetically, maybe it could happen someday" to "Oh my gosh, it just happened to me!" No shots fired, but I almost did. I live in a nice, white collar subdivision in the suburbs of Louisville, KY. I'm sitting up late watching my recording of the Lakers/Celtics game. My wife, teenage daughter, and younger son left two days ago for a week at the beach, I stay home because I have work obligations. So I'm home alone, just me and my dogs (two English cocker spaniels and a spunky toy poodle). Suddenly the dogs start going crazy, barking and making a racket. I'm thinking...what in the world is that about. I look at the clock, it's 12:45am. The dogs run to the back of the house and bark excitedly at the back door. One of the dogs, my "alpha male", has gone into "don't mess with me" mode...he's really upset, the hair is up on the back of his neck, and he's baring his teeth. The only times I've seen him this agitated is the times he has run into raccoons or coyotes in the tall grass when we are pheasant hunting. His current agitated behavior has my nerves on edge. Then I hear tapping and rattling on the back door.
Although I got my Kentucky concealed carry permit last year, I hadn't ever actually "carried", because I didn't have a gun small enough to conceal comfortably. But just last week I bought a new Ruger LCP, and have just started doing concealed carry on a regular basis. My Beretta Cheetah stays locked in the car (no help to me now). But my LCP was in my desk drawer with my wallet and keys.
So I grab the LCP and slide it in my pocket. As I head towards the back door, I hear tapping again. Somebody wants me to let them in. I'm trying to think of why someone would be here at this time of night, and why they would be at the back door, and not just come to the front, which is the natural approach for friends and visitors. The back porch light is not on, so I can't see who is there. I stand to the side, taking cover beside a bookcase, and I yell out "who's there", and nobody answers. I'm thinking they are gone. I stand quietly for a minute, trying to decide what to do. Then they tap again!! I yell "who's there, identify yourself!". No response. Now I'm really scared. I yell "identify yourself!!" one more time. Again, no response. Now I'm convinced this not a friendly visitor. I want to turn the porch light on, but the switch is next to the door, and I would have to fully expose myself to turn it on. I wonder if someone will try to shoot me through the glass door. Then it occurs to me that maybe I should shoot through the glass at whoever is out there. But then I think, what if its just a kid playing a prank? So I don't shoot. The dogs are still going crazy. Finally I get up the nerve to expose myself enough to go to the door and flip on the porch light switch. By this time, nobody is there. I let the dogs out (hunting dogs) and they growl and sniff wildly all over the back yard and along the fence. Clearly somebody has been there, but has fled. I call the local police for our neighborhood area. I have the number in my desk, because last month a notice had been sent out to everybody that there had been a series of home invasions in the area, and people should be aware. When I get the duty officer on the phone, he is not the least bit surprised at what I tell him. As he turns his car around and heads for my address, he wants to keep me on the phone. After he arrives and looks around a bit, we get into a discussion. He tells me they know of at least two active "problems"...one is a burgler they are trying to catch in our area, and the other is a rapist. The burgler's MO is to knock on people's back door, and if nobody answers, he kicks the door in. If they do let him, I guess he just barges in and does his business!! Folks, this isn't the "inner city". This is a nice, upscale, quiet home in the suburbs. Although I'm 6' 2" and 215 lbs, I feel violated and vulnerable. This guy (or "these guys"??) must have been watching me through the window. They must have heard and seen the TV on, and they certainly heard the dogs. Yet they still had the balls to try to get me to open the door!! WOW. I don't think I'll ever feel safe in my own home again. I probably won't even sleep tonight. My adrenalin is still flowing, which is probably why I'm still sitting up telling this long story. But if you've read this far, I guess you found it interesting. If you are a policeman or other LEO, this kind of thing is nothing new to you...you guys deal with this stuff all the time. God bless all you guys!! I was sure glad to see that officer show up in front of my house! But I'm just normal business guy, and even though I read about it and have my hunting and gun hobbies and such, this is new to me. And I don't like it one bit!! My Ruger is in one pocket, and my Beretta is in the other. I'll probably have them both under my pillow tonight...if I go to sleep at all.
Although I got my Kentucky concealed carry permit last year, I hadn't ever actually "carried", because I didn't have a gun small enough to conceal comfortably. But just last week I bought a new Ruger LCP, and have just started doing concealed carry on a regular basis. My Beretta Cheetah stays locked in the car (no help to me now). But my LCP was in my desk drawer with my wallet and keys.
So I grab the LCP and slide it in my pocket. As I head towards the back door, I hear tapping again. Somebody wants me to let them in. I'm trying to think of why someone would be here at this time of night, and why they would be at the back door, and not just come to the front, which is the natural approach for friends and visitors. The back porch light is not on, so I can't see who is there. I stand to the side, taking cover beside a bookcase, and I yell out "who's there", and nobody answers. I'm thinking they are gone. I stand quietly for a minute, trying to decide what to do. Then they tap again!! I yell "who's there, identify yourself!". No response. Now I'm really scared. I yell "identify yourself!!" one more time. Again, no response. Now I'm convinced this not a friendly visitor. I want to turn the porch light on, but the switch is next to the door, and I would have to fully expose myself to turn it on. I wonder if someone will try to shoot me through the glass door. Then it occurs to me that maybe I should shoot through the glass at whoever is out there. But then I think, what if its just a kid playing a prank? So I don't shoot. The dogs are still going crazy. Finally I get up the nerve to expose myself enough to go to the door and flip on the porch light switch. By this time, nobody is there. I let the dogs out (hunting dogs) and they growl and sniff wildly all over the back yard and along the fence. Clearly somebody has been there, but has fled. I call the local police for our neighborhood area. I have the number in my desk, because last month a notice had been sent out to everybody that there had been a series of home invasions in the area, and people should be aware. When I get the duty officer on the phone, he is not the least bit surprised at what I tell him. As he turns his car around and heads for my address, he wants to keep me on the phone. After he arrives and looks around a bit, we get into a discussion. He tells me they know of at least two active "problems"...one is a burgler they are trying to catch in our area, and the other is a rapist. The burgler's MO is to knock on people's back door, and if nobody answers, he kicks the door in. If they do let him, I guess he just barges in and does his business!! Folks, this isn't the "inner city". This is a nice, upscale, quiet home in the suburbs. Although I'm 6' 2" and 215 lbs, I feel violated and vulnerable. This guy (or "these guys"??) must have been watching me through the window. They must have heard and seen the TV on, and they certainly heard the dogs. Yet they still had the balls to try to get me to open the door!! WOW. I don't think I'll ever feel safe in my own home again. I probably won't even sleep tonight. My adrenalin is still flowing, which is probably why I'm still sitting up telling this long story. But if you've read this far, I guess you found it interesting. If you are a policeman or other LEO, this kind of thing is nothing new to you...you guys deal with this stuff all the time. God bless all you guys!! I was sure glad to see that officer show up in front of my house! But I'm just normal business guy, and even though I read about it and have my hunting and gun hobbies and such, this is new to me. And I don't like it one bit!! My Ruger is in one pocket, and my Beretta is in the other. I'll probably have them both under my pillow tonight...if I go to sleep at all.