An Inconvenienced Convenience Store

Last week, just as I was taking dinner out of the oven, the power went out.
Of course, I hadn't a clue where the flashlights or candles were. The emergency lighting came on in our office and my husband came in to get his headlamp and candles for the massage therapist so she could finish up a patient's treatment.

We had our dinner by candlelight and then decided to go in search of a coffee somewhere in town. Our whole area was out and many people were walking the streets just to see what was happening. Turned out we had to drive to the next town to reach any coffee shops that had power.

Upon approaching our house, we saw the police blocking the road and were stopped by 5 militia in full camouflage, carrying rifles. We have never seen this before in our town! Something big was underway. They told us to turn around and detour.

"But we just live in that second house in!" we said, pointing.

"Just turn around - you can't go past here," they waved their rifles.

"Our driveway is right here!" we argued.

Finally they okayed it but told us to go right into our house. That's when we discovered that our house was open. We had locked it but when our one cat appeared at the door wanting in as we were leaving, my husband unlocked it, let her in and just shut the door without re-locking it.

The whole tone and words used by the police, as well as the fact that the forces from the local army base were there suddenly hit me.

"Did those guys have rifles?!" I asked my husband.

"Yes, I'm going out to find Mooky," (our other cat) he replied.

"Wait! No! You're just not gettin' it are you? There's obviously been a robbery or something and we're locking our doors! And you're not going anywhere!"

I was starting to get a tad worried that maybe someone was hiding out in our house. It was the perfect escape route from police - they could nip down along the river that runs through town at the end of our yard, come up to the house and BINGO! Ours was open and ready for them to enter!

After an hour, the blockade was removed and traffic was moving in both directions once again. The power came back on an hour later and it was not until the next day that we heard the details of what had transpired.

The Mini Mart almost directly across the street from us had been robbed by two 17 year-old guys who were armed. With the aid of dogs, one was caught and they were searching for the other one when we were stopped.
Of course, being a small town, everyone had their own story to tell of encountering police who told them there had been a robbery and to get a move on, go straight home and lock their doors.

Why didn't they tell us that? They probably should have escorted us home. It could have had a much different outcome.

The Korean couple who run the store are the sweetest people in the world. Unfortunately, their type of business is highly targeted in a power blackout. They were advised to lock up and go home next time.

I know what I'm doing next time - staying put...Tim Horton's be hanged!


**Tim Horton's is the Canadian equivalent of Starbuck's**

Mother of Invention, organizing all my flashlights and candles for future use!