Stranger Danger: A Safety Reminder for SAHMs (for everyone, really)

I would call myself a person that is slightly paranoid and distrusting of strangers.  More so now that I have Brixton.  The news stories don't help: home invasions, break-ins, murders.  Maybe I'm more than slightly paranoid; I prefer to call myself vigilant. 

Today, as I was in the kitchen preparing Brixton's lunch (tofu, grapefruit and cheese--delish), I saw him.  A man, walking down the sidewalk, yellow shirt, clipboard, name badge.  Ugh. I thought.  A solicitor.  Why do they have to knock on my door?  I'm busy/have social anxiety/don't want to talk to you/don't want to buy anything.  He knocked.  I ignored.  Brixton blew our cover by screaming, so when the man knocked again, I answered.


Blah blah blah, the man said.  You know, the same old stuff.  I wasn't really listening, just hearing blah blah blah.  Until..

Until he asked to see our energy bill to determine if there were "cost-savings" to be had. 

(small red flag in brain goes up).

Giving him my energy bill to look at first involves me leaving the door unattended.  Maybe he thinks I won't lock it behind me. Maybe he'll come in uninvited.  Who knows.  Or he could peek around at things while I'm occupied.  If I give him my bill, he's got our names and who know what other info he can glean from that.  H to the ell no, I'm not giving you my energy bill.  (Mama Grizzly roar).

I am reluctant.  I am not going to show him the bill.  He's not arguing, persay, just trying to persuade me a bit that he can find these hidden gems, these cost savings.  No, I say shaking my head.  That's okay.


Is there a time when your husband is home?

(*brakes screeching* Red Flag Waving.)

How do you know I have a husband? Why would you need to talk to him if I've already expressed disinterest?

Okay, maybe it was a simple question asked by a young man out beating the streets working hard for his family.  And I'm an equal-opportunity paranoist, so the only requirement for me is that you are male and asking me strange questions at my door. 

But.  Scary things happen, people.  If I tell him, oh my husband works out of town, he might (if criminally inclined) think target.  If I say, oh he's home in the evenings, it's just me and my tiny baby here all day long, alone and unprotected, well, I might as well make a "Welcome Thieves & Rapists" banner and stick it outside of my home during working hours.  

I told him my husband is always home, because he works here.  (With an undertone of don't come here again).  Then I smiled, because I'm also polite and hoping for the chance that this guy is just working and actually not trying to case my house. 

10 minutes later I couldn't shake the feeling that something in those questions was wrong.  So I called the cops.  Nothing wrong with filing a concern, that's why they are there and if it was nothing, then hooray!, but if it saved somebody from something then it was the right thing to do. 

I'm writing this not to showcase my social awkwardness and paranoia, but to remind you ladies, all ladies, but especially SAHMs that you need to be careful what information you are sharing with strangers.  Because none of us want to be victims.