Shoe Thief.

This isn't the first time that I've lost my shoes to thieves and it sure won't be the last. This morning, when I couldn't find my pair of shoes, I was this close to skipping school with mom having the slightest objection (a little curl of fury around her lips, I observed), almost turning heading the elevator before I actually volunteered to put on my pair of sandals to school for the day, which I managed to pull through, having people who passing me by asking what's wrong with my feet or why I'm with my sandals on today. Pretty much attract more attention from people than I usually do with white shoes. I was standing at the door front, still in a dreamy state, with the heavy school bag strapped against my back with my 2 liter water bottle in one hand and a thick History book on the other when I realized my inexplicably white pair of school shoes (albeit a little worn off) were missing. Couldn't remember leaving it somewhere else besides the front door and I couldn't locate it. "My school shoes are stolen," I blurted out in a-matter-of-fact-ly fashion, as if it was a reflex action and as if it was the least to be expected.

This rude awakening in the morning got mom all worked up - the fact that I'm going to skip school without a shoe and the fact that this is not the first time - close to the point of swearing. On the other hand, it got poor akak, who usually locks up the door behind us, frantically ransacking the miserable shoe rack at the door, going through all the dusty shoe boxes before running in and out of the house to see if it was anywhere in it, which later got her giving up, saying, "See lah, it's stolen again!" It surprised me though, when both of them came up with all sorts of assumptions of who the thief could possibly be - from the neighbor's dog to the Indian lady sweeping our apartment everyday. It was even more shocking to hear how "dangerous" their accusations were, looking for all sorts of clues, replaying the previous days in their minds, linking one clue to the other, to point it someone substantial. Believe me, these women even had statements from the other neighbor about her own suspicions. Seriously, it got the three of us standing at the doorway, staring at the shoe rack, scratching our chins, trying to pull th pieces together for a few good minutes before I broke the silence and volunteered to put on my sandals.

Got a little CSI action going on in my family, eh?

Of course, this isn't the first time the family's lost their shoes to thief/thieves in the night. Just a couple of months back, I lost my precious favorite LeeCooper sandals that was going to be a year old this March, to those thieves. Extremely infuriating, I know! But honestly, the only way I counter my angst is to convince myself that whoever's been stealing my damn shoes is someone who's desperately in need for it, thus, supporting mom in one of her deranged theories that the thief must have have a son at my age with the same shoe size that the person's been stealing dad's and my shoes. But if that person's been stealing those damn shoes and have been selling them to illegal migrants living in the huts covered with thick bushes at the nearby park. Can't remember who else's shoes have been stolen for the past 11 years we've been living in this place but as far as I can recall, practically everyone in the family have been victims of the thief/thieves before. I've lost 3 complete bicycles and 2 bicycle with stolen parts, making me give up in investing in another one, only to wake up the next day with missing tyres and such.

We sure couldn't contact the police as we have no proof and I doubt the policemen are keen on setting up a watch patrol around my housing area. Plus, it's not like these thefts happen daily or monthly. It happens when it happens, you know. Kind of unpredictable when the thief might strike. Oh trust me, mom and akak have both plotted their own devious plans to uncover the truth and nab the alleged thief. Talks on installing a personal CCTV system around the corridor, setting mousetraps and even leaving notes of threat on the pathway was all the family raved about over the dinner table today. Funny, I didn't even chipped in any of the ideas, considering I was the one with the lost pair of school shoes. However, they did come to a conventional conclusion by the end of the meal, steam still dissipating slowly from both ends of their ears - we all bring all our shoes into the house every single time after wearing, placing them on a piece of cupboard salvaged from mom's factory, regardless if the shoe looks worn out or not.

Like the previous time my sandals got stolen, I got a new one back today. Except, for the last time, I went back to the same shop and got the same pair of sandals (same brand, design and color) again because I didn't see any other suitable on my feet. This time, a different shop and a different pair of school shoes which costed me about RM60 in total with a couple pair of new socks thrown in and an extra padded sole for the new school shoe. Crappy, huh? Dad's not a happy man, right now!

Damn it, I hate it when my things get stolen.

Speaking of shoes and being victimized, I just remembered about Edward's little accident with his dad while chasing a black dog (how unfortunate?). Dog chased them on motorcycle, dad got angry, tried turning to chase the dog back only to have the motorcycle tumble on them. He's been limping in school for the past couple of days, trying hard not to let the fabric of his pants graze his wounds. Wish him get well soon.

In the meantime, I'll have to consider writing a threat note for my dear thief.