Crime in My County

Today I went to see my chiropractor. I've been seeing her for almost 20 years. We are not "friends," exactly, but I expect I'm closer to her than many of her patients. I think I am the patient she's seen the longest, or close to it.

Her office is in a small mall. It's generally quiet over there where the mall is located. It's "over the mountain" and while part of Botetourt, I think folks there often feel like the red-headed stepchild, because most activity and growth centers on this side of the mountain.

My hairdresser is also in this mall. She's the person I have settled on after years of bad Super Cuts hairstyles after my hair stylist of 30+ years retired.

The first thing I noticed when I pulled into the mall was a big, cracked window at my hairdresser's place. The window was not shattered, so no one gained entrance, but someone sure tried to break out the glass.

My chiropractor was visibly upset about this. Apparently, it happened last night, and the violence of it upset her. She is often alone with patients in the later hours at this little mall and wants to feel safe. She also wants her patients to feel safe. 

The hairdresser was nowhere to be seen and her shop was closed. The police had come and gone. Someone had thrown a huge rock at the window. I tried to think what might be in a hairdresser's shop that would entice attempted robbery but came up blank. They'd have had better luck at the dentist's office a few doors down. He, at least, would have had some drugs in there, even if it was just numbing agents.

I was not unsettled by this; I've done business with many of the folks who are or have been located in this mall and never had a problem in the 20 or more years I've been going there. But, it brings things into focus. 

We do not live in safe times. We need to lock our doors. We cannot trust that our neighbors mean us no harm.

Fear has found us here, in the backwoods, in the ruralness of home.

To feel fear is a great loss, and I'm afraid it's the ruling emotion of our times.