A Thief Among Us

This morning, as I lay in bed....sound asleep after a late night of chatting on line with friends, I was rudely awaken by the sound of concrete shattering on the ground near my driveway. I jumped up out of bed as I heard a truck barrel down the street, but was not able to see anything through the windows. Mark got up and went outside to see one of our beautfiul 20+ year old succulents and it's pot smashed on the ground of our driveway...apparently a victim of an attempted theft. Who in the world steals a potted plant at 4 in the morning in Monterey Park? Several months ago an black, rought iron pagoda deocration (broken with a missing foot) disappeared from our yard....we assume one of the local "metal collectors" who scavenge our neighborhood on Tuesdays, the day before trash day, spotted it out. The disappointing thing is it was my grandfathers...it was very old and it can never be replaced. All for a few bucks at the metal recycle center. And now the concrete pot that held the succulent is shattered and in the garbage can. It too cannot be replaced, being bought probably some 30 years ago from a neighbor/friend who is long gone. It's not the first time things have been taken from my or my family. Sad to say, it's most definitely not the last either. The first Christmas after my dad passed away, my mom made a beautiful wreath out of tree trimmings...all decked out with some of our ornaments, ribbons/bows and pine cones. We took it to my dad's grave...it lasted less than a day. Hours later, when a relative went to visit dad's grave, it was gone...probably at someone's house decorating their front door or hallway. Bad karma to anyone who steals from a grave! And my mom has had potted plants disappear from her front porch...usually around Mother's Day. Double bad karma/bachi for giving your mom/grandma something that is stolen!! So Mark spent the morning moving our other potted plants to the back yard where they will only be admired by us and those invited to our yard. It is sad to think your own neighborhood is not safe enough to place plant life in your own yard and not have to worry about bolting it down to the foundation. What's next? My wind chimes on the porch? The chair and table we have on the porch for rest and relaxation? Will I have to start unhooking the watering hose and bring it indoors every night or lock it up in the garage? I guess I should be thankful it wasn't something of extreme value like a car, TV or pet, but it still gives me an uneasy feeling that someone has the nerve to come into my yard and take something. Like my grandfather used to say, "God dang it, what is this world coming to?"