Oops. My bad.

Today, while I was going for my morning run, I spotted a van leaving our street and turning down the street a block away. I filed it away as a little weird, but kept running. Then I saw it down another street and another, all along my jogging route. The guy in the van even looked at me at one point. I was starting to get a little creeped out by the whole situation. As I turned to run toward the fire station, I see it come down yet another side street. I'm thinking to myself, "What is this guy doing? Trolling for victims??" I am now at this point regretting, not having my cell phone with me. I had only the protection of Samson. What a fierce fighter! So, as I pass the fire station, I decided to go in and see if I can use their phone to call the police. It was pretty early, and I think I woke the poor fireman up when I rang the doorbell. So I called 911 and put in a report about a suspicious looking van driving around and they said they would send the Sheriff's out to check it out. Feeling better, I go back out to finish my run, when what to my surprise!!! The van is there again!!! It was turning into another neighborhood. So I start to pick up the pace so I can get home. Samson, keeps stopping the entire time because he has to poop, but he won't go because he is to embarrassed to go in front of me. At this point I am pretty much dragging the poor dog behind me. Then I see the Sheriff and flag him down and tell him where I saw the van. He tells me to wait at the fire station and he'll check it out. He doesn't end up finding the van, but tells me that if I see it again to call. So I pretty much race back home and get inside. I think I've watched one too many Law and Order's or CSI as I am becoming overly dramatic about the whole situation.

Later, I'm talking with some friends about it and they tell me that they've seen that van before and one girl's husband followed it one time and guess who it was??! The paper boy. Yup, on the morning route delivering papers. Which explains the van going up and down all those streets. So, yeah, I pretty much called the cops on the paperboy. I guess I'm glad they didn't find him. Poor guy gets pulled over and he's like, "I'm just trying to do my job!"

What I'm wondering, is why don't these paper companies give their drivers a magnet with the logo for their car so they don't get the cops called on them??

While I do feel better, I do feel a little foolish. I know they say to call if you see anything suspicious, and in light of all the crime around here lately I took that very seriously. Hmmph. I guess better safe than sorry, right?