getting robbed

After I got out of work today, I found the inside of my car in disarray. I thought someone had played a joke on me, but quickly realized that someone had broken into my car. I always thought the parking lot at work was a safe place. People are coming in and out of the building throughout the day. I don't know how this happened. There were no signs of forced entry. My car doors were locked when I left them, but the windows were open a crack to allow for air flow. Still, my locks are not the ones you can pull open with a metal hanger. My first thought was, Oh no! I hope they didn't steal the directions to where I'm supposed to go tonight. Clearly, I wasn't thinking straight.

What's puzzling is the randomness of the items stolen. Car manual and notebooks from my glove compartment, $5 from the ash tray, quarters from the change holder, but not the dimes, Discman and car set, CaseLogic CD case and CDs, but not the CDs on my visor, X-ray marking ruler (bizarre), but not my sunglasses, box of Trader Joe's jasmine green tea that I bought during lunch, but not the fruit leather, first aid kit from my trunk, but not my car kit or golf clubs (thank God! I had forgotten to put them away). They also left my books, Thomas Guides, and CDs from the door holders (they had shuffled through each). My boss is so sweet. She left a message on my phone saying how bad she felt and that I should buy a new CD player and bring her the receipt.

I'm thankful that nothing really valuable or irreplaceable was stolen. I view it as a petty crime and am not too upset by it, just a little disconcerted. I was SO much more upset when, years ago, the original Acura emblems on the front and back of my car were stolen. At the time, I said, "I feel like my car has been violated." My friend said, "Your car has been violated--from the back and the front!"