Stealing the show

Opportunity makes a thief, they say. It must be true as thieves aren’t born. That could be the reason many guard against valuables seldom leaving any chance for ‘probable’ thieves. It’s quite normal for any of us to protect our valuables at public places and even at homes when maids, construction workers or labourers engaged for some work are around and there is nothing wrong in it. If grabbing the opportunity is quite natural for a thief, shielding precious things is as much human. Of course, extra protective tendency or a sense of over-possession is absolutely unwelcome, but taking due care is both, obvious and necessary. What’s more interesting is in spite of all precautions, we can never predict anything as burglars, since times immemorial, have always been smarter and sharper than us!

However, the other day, I was in a strange situation. I was safeguarding nothing and on the contrary, I wanted something to be stolen away! Yes, I repeat, as I am well aware of what I am saying.

That day, my so-called trusted footwear caused me embarrassment when its belt snapped. As I was heading for an important assignment, I urgently bought a new pair of sandals. I urgently replaced the old ones and headed for my work as I was getting late. I deliberately left the old footwear, wrapped in a brand-new box in a nice bag on my bike (probably hoping it will disappear).

After good two hours, the attractive packet was untouched. I found it surprising on an abuzz road with heavy traffic. On the same road, a couple of days back, my vegetable carry-bag was stolen when I had vanished for a couple of minutes. Even after returning to office in the noon, I left the box on the bike again and still no one saw the opportunity till late evening. People must not be touching deserted bags because of bomb scare, I thought. To avoid the potential panic, I removed it and kept it in the parking. After three days when it was still lying there, I eventually asked a housekeeper to clear it. I was still wondering nobody had bothered to open the packet…

We have heard and experienced many instances of valuables like cash, jewellery, ATM and debit cards, electronic gadgets like mobiles and laptops being stolen despite every care. Most of the times, we can’t even make out how swiftly thieves operate. How strange it is that certain things remain safe when we unknowingly leave them somewhere like keys to bikes, cars even to house doors!!! Genuine auto or taxi drivers also return valuables to owners, no matter how much lucrative it could be.

In short, there are no specific parameters to what could and what couldn’t be stolen as honesty matters and thieves, too, might be having their integrity. Perhaps, only burglars could be in a position to throw light here as they say, set a thief to catch a thief! They, too, need challenges as no ordinary thief would be interested in stealing acorns from a blind pig…

And non-attachment seems the only way for common men, not because we are spiritual but that appears to be the only solution…

-KanChan