Unsolved Mysteries Made Me Crazy!!

When I was younger, my favorite show was Unsolved Mysteries. I loved that show even when it scared me! Unfortunately, my interest in shows that solve cases and deals with murder and kidnapping has probably led me to be a bit weird. I am the girl that enters the room and looks for exits and scans the crowd. Now, I do not allow this interest to intercede on my living. I still go out and do things, still meet new people through groups and don't let the evils of the world keep me in my house. I guess I am probably more cautious - that is a better description.

Let me share a humorous story about a time when I was overly cautious and made my friends laugh.

When I lived in Tulsa I worked at a Pediatric clinic in a big medical building. When the time came to start thinking about moving to Texas I began collecting boxes from the different clinics. The security guard would keep a supply of boxes thrown out in the water heater closet. Now, that seems like a nice thing to do, but if you are a creepy security guard, nothing nice you do can replace your creepiness. He was an older man who frequently checked out my friends and me when leaving the building. He would often hold the elevator and then ride with me to the parking garage even after I said it wasn't necessary.

When I needed boxes, he usually had them by his station and I would pull my car around and load up. Out of nowhere one day he says that the boxes are back in the water heater room. The water heater room was far down a hallway all the way at the back - out of sight. I had left work late that day, so the normally busy lobby was dead silent. So, not wanting to be offensive I followed him back there. I began thinking of ways I could let people know I was back in this room with the security guard. Then I came up with the great idea that I would have a conversation with this guard - AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF TALKING that I could muster. As he was picking up boxes, I began with this conversation:

"I DON'T THINK I HAVE FORMALLY INTRODUCED MYSELF. MY NAME IS TRACEY SMITH (Not my real last name - but hey - I have privacy issues). I WORK UPSTAIRS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE BEEN BACK IN THE WATER HEATER ROOM. LOOK AT US - YOU AND ME - MR SECURITY GUARD PICKING UP THESE BOXES IN THE WATER HEATER ROOM. IT SURE IS DARK AND COLD IN THIS WATER HEATER ROOM THAT YOU AND I ARE IN MR SECURITY GUARD. I BETTER GRAB SOME BOXES AND RUN OUT OF THIS COLD WATER HEATER ROOM. I WORK IN THE BUILDING AND LIVE DOWN THE STREET WITH MY BIG HUSBAND WHO STARTS TO SEARCH FOR ME IF I AM EVEN 1 MINUTE LATE (which is a total lie - I always beat my husband home.)"

Now I know from his perspective he was probably saying in his mind, "I should have told someone that I was down in this room with this crazy loud chick?" I grabbed a handful of boxes and practically ran down the hallway. I threw them in the back of my vehicle and he did the same.

He then asked, "Do you want anymore boxes?" I needed more but as I heard the theme song from Unsolved Mysteries playing in the back of my mind, I decided to cut my losses and decline more boxes.

As I told my friends the next day about my experience I received lots of laughing and lots of questioning like, "You did not shout out like that, did you?" My response,

"Yes I did and that is why I am still alive and well!!!!"