safety and security.

There is a saying in the Navy that goes like this, "If one person shits his pants, then everyone is required to wear diapers." They like to make rules in the Navy, so if one person messes up, they make up a rule that applies to everyone. Part of the orientation for us US Military folk trying to live in Naples is to go to a safety and security "brief." There are countless break-ins here in Naples, whether they be into cars or homes. They send you to this "brief" so that you know some precautions to take, such as not leaving your fancy GPS in your car, or locking your doors and shutters at night. The guy giving the "brief" was a tough guy who has been in the Navy for as long as he can remember. He had several stories and examples to illustrate how people could have prevented break-ins and why certain rules are in place. I took most of what he said with a grain of salt, because we are excited about living "out in town," and I don't want anyone to scare the excitement out of me. Those who know me know that I'm not much of a door-locker, and I'm really not all that worried about my stuff being stolen, because, after all, it is just that, stuff. He assured several times that these thieves are not out to harm you and they will run if you catch them. They just want stuff. So, I wasn't too bothered by all the crazy examples he was using, until he crossed the line that brought out "Mother Bear." He told a story about an innocent Italian woman at home with her baby in the high chair in the middle of the day. A thief got into her home and took the baby from the high chair when the innocent Italian mom was not looking! She turned to notice her baby gone and saw the thief, so she caught the thief! The thief was thrown in jail for a couple of hours and then released back into the community because the police said they "did not have the resources" to keep her in jail. It goes without saying that the mom was outraged, and so was the community, so they took things into their own hands by hiring a mobster. The mobster burned down half of the area where the thief and other "transient people" (formerly known as gypsies) lived. Now, those who know that I am not much of a door-locker and don't get too paranoid about these sorts of things also know that when it comes to Graham, I can be a rigid, paranoid, freak! So now, as we search for homes "out in town," I worry about someone being able to snatch Graham from it's beautiful yard and then me being responsible for burning down an entire community! The guy giving the brief sure did a nice job, huh? Now, I need therapy! Please wish us luck as we look for someplace safe and secure in Naples...
The place in the photo is the one we like with a big yard. Maybe the statue of Jesus will keep thieves and kidnappers away????