A Funny Thing Happened Today

I was working on my computer when this complete stranger sauntered up my garden path - in my full view because my window looks out on the garden - and with an invisible gadget in his hand, started walking slowly and purposefully along the path, round my house and down the street.

Even when he saw me staring at him through the window, he just carried on with his thing.

With memories of a recent conversation with a neighbour who'd been robbed a month ago fresh in my mind, I grabbed my keys and mobile phone and went out the door.

Call it stickybeaking, but when you live on a corner block and have strange people walking through your garden now and then, it pays to know what's going on.

(There's another chappie I've seen a couple of times doing likewise. He wears sunglasses, a tradie vest, biking shorts and boots, and walks up and down our street, and through my front garden as well, always with his head down. Highly suspicious, but because he hasn't DONE anything, I've held back on calling 000.)

I probably wouldn't have done it if I were on my own, but my uncle was playing IQ Chess in the lounge with Beth, and Scotty was patrolling the backyard, so I figured it was an acceptable risk.

I looked up and down the street, and finally spotted Mr Gadget coming out of a neighbour's front yard. He went across the road and proceeded to do the same with another neighbour's yard. Finally, he made his way back towards my end of the street.

I hailed him.

"Afternoon mate! Anything happening on this street?"

Mr Gadget came up to me.

I don't quite know how to describe the look on his face.

Bewildered-Annoyed-Defensive-Belligerent but trying to control it?

"I'm a meter reader. I was wondering why you were staring at me. Have you never seen a meter reader before??"

"Actually - no."

Then for emphasis, I added, "We neighbours like to keep a lookout for each other, you know what I mean?"

We went on to have a polite chat about how often meter readers visit (once in 3 months or once in 44 days, depending on whether it's gas or electricity or water).

"So next time you see someone like me walking around with this (gesturing to said gadget), you know what it is."

I wished him a good day and came back in, glad to have poked my nose out of my comfort zone of passive inaction.