Did That Guy Just...

steal a bicycle? Since I've been on the injured list I haven't been running at lunch like I usually do. One day I was bad and drove to Wendy's for lunch. I used the drive thru then parked in an out of the way spot to eat in my car and read my book.

Just as I was pulling into my spot, I saw a guy walking along, carrying a skateboard. He was middle aged, if that has any relevance to the story. Just as I spotted him, he spotted a bicycle. This bicycle was leaning up against a wooden back yard fence, next to two trashcans. I would describe it as an alley between the parking lot and the back yard.

I was fairly certain it wasn't his bike because when he spotted it, his body language was very similar to Craig's when he was playing the robber in my production of "Hero Dogs" and he saw the cash on the way. Then he (back to my story, and no longer talking about Craig) strolled over to the bike and glanced around. In his casual glancing he spotted (enough spots in this story for 101 Dalmatians) me watching him. His response was to coolly stroll away.

But then he came back, eyeballed the bike again, got on while holding his skateboard and rode away. So, the question is, did he steal the bike, and if so, should I have done anything about it?

No one deserves to have things stolen from them. I've had my purse, my car radio and my entire CD collection stolen, as well as money in the form of a hit and run when I became responsible for the insurance detectable. I know the feeling of anger and the feelings of injustice and "why should someone take something that belongs to me?" So if this guy was steeling the bike, it was not cool. BUT, leaving your bicycle unsecured in an alley in Oxnard is not very smart. And leaving it next to trashcans is even less intelligent, because it gives the impression that you no longer want it and are throwing it away. For all I know, the previous owner WAS throwing it away.

Therefore, the first doubt was, "Is the bike up for grabs since it was out in the trash, or had its owner just parked it there for some reason?"

The second doubt is, "How do I know this guy isn't the owner?" Obviously I did not think he was, but if I had said, "Hey- is that your bike?" he would have said "yes" and then what? And even if he had said "No, I'm liberating it from its abusive owner" then what would my options have been?

Maybe I should have just called 911. "Yes, hello 911? I'd like to report a possible theft in progress. Of a bicycle parked next to some trash cans in an alley. In Oxnard. The guy riding away on the bike might not be the legal owner." If the police thought my concerns were valid, the suspect would have been long gone, pedaled away into oblivion by the time they arrived.

And my final concern was if I did say anything to the suspicious individual, or even appear to be watching him too closely, he might decide to abandon the bicycle AND skateboard (I wonder if that was stolen too?) and trade up for a 2006 Buick Rendenvous. I know there is a poignant quote about the only thing evil needing to flourish is good men (ie- people) doing nothing... but I am sorry to say I did not feel safe confronting him, and while stopping evil is not about keeping yourself safe, I guess I decided the possible theft of a (possible?) bicycle wasn't worth a possible confrontation leading to possible violence. Plus, no matter the outcome of the confortation, it might have made me late getting back from lunch.

I'm not sure that was the best decision, but getting back to my original concerns, I don't even know for sure he was stealing the bicycle.