Calling all cars...

So, I live in the hood. Or da hood. However you want to say it - it doesn't change the fact that my neighborhood is best described as "transitional". Down the street is a house that's been under construction for the better part of a year now, another house that's been burned out for at least 20 years, two brand new houses, and several houses that contain perfectly nice families or single people.

A few weeks ago, my house was broken into. They came in through the back door, and they didn't get much. The cop and I were pretty sure they were kids, as all indications pointed to the fact that I came home while they were in the house and they dropped everything and ran. It's not the first time that a house I lived in was broken into, and it was certainly less traumatic this time than it was last time, so no big deal.

Last night, though, there was a new incident, even for me and my history of "interesting" incidents in the many "transitional" neighborhoods I've lived in in Atlanta.

I pulled into my driveway after a looooong day (school followed by track meet). There was a strange car in my drive already. My drive is not in a place where it would make sense for any visitors of my neighbor's to park there, so I was immediately weirded out. Called several friends, but as it was late at night, no one was answering. So on the better-safe-than-sorry theory, I called 911. The operator asked what kind of car it was. "A Hyundai Sante Fe," I replied. "Is it green?" she asked. Um....yes. It's never a good sign when the 911 operator knows the color of a suspicious car in your DRIVEWAY.

Suffice it to say that the police were dispatched, they came, told me the car had been stolen earlier in the day (gee, really?) and towed the dang thing away.

My friends and family wonder why I don't want to live in a more...stable neighborhood. I say that at least it's never boring around here.