TL;DR at the bottom.*
So we have a little old lady who lives next door whom we've kind of... adopted, I guess you'd say. She has a local lady come in and clean for her and do some oddjob kind of things - move this here, box that up there, help with seasonal decorating, etc.
Anyways, so this afternoon I come out of the house, it's around dusk, getting rdy to load my belongings into my car to go to work. I had started the car in the driveway prior to exiting the house, and when it first starts, it's kind of loud, so it's easy to hear next door. I walk out and as I'm approaching my car, this guy walks out from behind my Tahoe, which is parked on the side of the house, between my house and the neighbor lady's. He says, "Hey my name is <something>." I was over next door with <the cleaning lady> and the neighbor told me you are into car audio?" I said yes, so he asks, naturally, "So what are you running?" In other words, wants me to tell him all about my stereo systems in my vehicles - kinda like, "Hey can I see your carry piece?"
Ummm.... no thanks.
So I non-committally just say, "I run lots of stuff." So he proceeds to start telling me all about the 10,000 watt stereo system in his Blazer which is parked in the driveway next door. I told him I had a smaller system in my Z than in the Tahoe because of the alternator and he says, "Yeah, I think that's my problem, too, I think my alternator is only 100 amps." So I'm getting the clue at this point he's "one of those" guys who thinks the massive inflated power ratings on flea market amps claiming to make 5000 watts with a 40-amp fuse are legit. lol. My Tahoe has about 8,000 watts of legit power with three alternators making 685 amps. You can't make power without power.
Been around this hobby around 25 years now... I don't buy flea market stuff.
I explained to him I really needed to get going as I was headed to work. He said he would be around whenever <the cleaning lady> was next door and he'd like to get my advice on his system. I allowed I would be gone to work the next few nights - DOH! Oops! I was really just trying to get rid of him and give myself an excuse for a few days, not thinking that I just alerted him that my family would be home alone at night. DAMMIT!
I'm sure I didn't tell him anything he didn't already know - the neighbor lady likes to blather on about all kinds of stuff, which is why we don't tell her a lot that's personal, although she tries to fish a bit here and there. We know she is a gossip and we don't want our business spread all over the place. So I'm sure she told this dude all about what I do, when I'm gone, my gun and stereo and electronics habits, etc. I'm just fuming at this point driving away to work... between what I am sure she told this guy and what I accidentally let slip, so as not to be overtly rude and hateful to some guy who's just being curious and friendly.
Then I realize... <the cleaning lady> we have already heard has been known to be a bit sticky-fingered with people in the past. Our neighbor lady knows it, but she says, "Well, I'm always there with her, so I don't think she would have a chance to take anything." Ugh! WTF??? Not true, BTW, she is now coming and going with her own key, but DAMN, why would you let someone like that into your house? Which is why the neighbor lady doesn't have a key to our house, nor know our alarm code - just generally not good judgement, and as I already mentioned, she is a bit over-curious and we aren't sure we want to go down that road.
So now I'm envisioning all these things in my mind... my wife is more than capable and has a gun in her dresser drawer, but I told her to be extra careful to keep things locked up tight, and had her go get my Glock out of the truck where I normally leave it. But I'm sure this guy got a good look into my garage, saw what tools and gadgets I have out, as well as my big speaker box with 3 15" subs in it (I swap it out in the Tahoe with a dual-12" box when I'm carrying the fam).
Situational awareness.... I got surprised, yes. Could have been simple curiosity, but inordinate knowledge sometimes turns into opportunity. Dangit.
Sorry, just venting about my own stupidity - In trying to be cautiously non-friendly but non-hateful, I probably gave away a bit much. Time to make certain we get that garage door to the house replaced with a solid-core door like we've been saying for years. <sigh>
How would you handle something like this? I really don't want to be overtly rude... but I don't want to show off my system to just anybody. And there's no room in the garage for all our vehicles, unfortunately, so the Tahoe doesn't make the cut, and it has equipment worth several times the value of the truck.
*TL;DR - neighbor lady let slip to some possibly shady character that I have expensive stereo equipment in my vehicles, he comes over to investigate, I am non-committal but accidentally gave away a few tidbits, as well as letting him know I will be gone nights for work. Wife is well-armed, locked up in the house and has an alarm system. Just kicking myself for being a dips##t.
So we have a little old lady who lives next door whom we've kind of... adopted, I guess you'd say. She has a local lady come in and clean for her and do some oddjob kind of things - move this here, box that up there, help with seasonal decorating, etc.
Anyways, so this afternoon I come out of the house, it's around dusk, getting rdy to load my belongings into my car to go to work. I had started the car in the driveway prior to exiting the house, and when it first starts, it's kind of loud, so it's easy to hear next door. I walk out and as I'm approaching my car, this guy walks out from behind my Tahoe, which is parked on the side of the house, between my house and the neighbor lady's. He says, "Hey my name is <something>." I was over next door with <the cleaning lady> and the neighbor told me you are into car audio?" I said yes, so he asks, naturally, "So what are you running?" In other words, wants me to tell him all about my stereo systems in my vehicles - kinda like, "Hey can I see your carry piece?"
Ummm.... no thanks.
So I non-committally just say, "I run lots of stuff." So he proceeds to start telling me all about the 10,000 watt stereo system in his Blazer which is parked in the driveway next door. I told him I had a smaller system in my Z than in the Tahoe because of the alternator and he says, "Yeah, I think that's my problem, too, I think my alternator is only 100 amps." So I'm getting the clue at this point he's "one of those" guys who thinks the massive inflated power ratings on flea market amps claiming to make 5000 watts with a 40-amp fuse are legit. lol. My Tahoe has about 8,000 watts of legit power with three alternators making 685 amps. You can't make power without power.
Been around this hobby around 25 years now... I don't buy flea market stuff.I explained to him I really needed to get going as I was headed to work. He said he would be around whenever <the cleaning lady> was next door and he'd like to get my advice on his system. I allowed I would be gone to work the next few nights - DOH! Oops! I was really just trying to get rid of him and give myself an excuse for a few days, not thinking that I just alerted him that my family would be home alone at night. DAMMIT!
I'm sure I didn't tell him anything he didn't already know - the neighbor lady likes to blather on about all kinds of stuff, which is why we don't tell her a lot that's personal, although she tries to fish a bit here and there. We know she is a gossip and we don't want our business spread all over the place. So I'm sure she told this dude all about what I do, when I'm gone, my gun and stereo and electronics habits, etc. I'm just fuming at this point driving away to work... between what I am sure she told this guy and what I accidentally let slip, so as not to be overtly rude and hateful to some guy who's just being curious and friendly.
Then I realize... <the cleaning lady> we have already heard has been known to be a bit sticky-fingered with people in the past. Our neighbor lady knows it, but she says, "Well, I'm always there with her, so I don't think she would have a chance to take anything." Ugh! WTF??? Not true, BTW, she is now coming and going with her own key, but DAMN, why would you let someone like that into your house? Which is why the neighbor lady doesn't have a key to our house, nor know our alarm code - just generally not good judgement, and as I already mentioned, she is a bit over-curious and we aren't sure we want to go down that road.
So now I'm envisioning all these things in my mind... my wife is more than capable and has a gun in her dresser drawer, but I told her to be extra careful to keep things locked up tight, and had her go get my Glock out of the truck where I normally leave it. But I'm sure this guy got a good look into my garage, saw what tools and gadgets I have out, as well as my big speaker box with 3 15" subs in it (I swap it out in the Tahoe with a dual-12" box when I'm carrying the fam).
Situational awareness.... I got surprised, yes. Could have been simple curiosity, but inordinate knowledge sometimes turns into opportunity. Dangit.
Sorry, just venting about my own stupidity - In trying to be cautiously non-friendly but non-hateful, I probably gave away a bit much. Time to make certain we get that garage door to the house replaced with a solid-core door like we've been saying for years. <sigh>
How would you handle something like this? I really don't want to be overtly rude... but I don't want to show off my system to just anybody. And there's no room in the garage for all our vehicles, unfortunately, so the Tahoe doesn't make the cut, and it has equipment worth several times the value of the truck.
*TL;DR - neighbor lady let slip to some possibly shady character that I have expensive stereo equipment in my vehicles, he comes over to investigate, I am non-committal but accidentally gave away a few tidbits, as well as letting him know I will be gone nights for work. Wife is well-armed, locked up in the house and has an alarm system. Just kicking myself for being a dips##t.
