I went to work today and walked around the corner from the parking spot to discover my two colleagues having a smoke break. As our bosses are in Thailand for three weeks, I thought it was funny that they would use the opportunity to have smoke breaks right in front of the front door – right before we should open at 9 AM…

Then, the younger of my co-workers saw me coming and said, totally upset, “Somone tried to break in last night! Now, we can’t get the door open at all! We’re stuck out here and we have customers coming.” Of course my first thought was, “And this couldn’t have happened in July? Now I’m freezing.” They had already called the police. I had a look at the door and the top lock was opened, the door sat crooked and the top of the door leaned inwards. The bottom lock was still intact, although it was obvious they’d tried to pry that one, too. Around that time, my co-worker realized she carries the money home every night while the bosses are away and got really scared that someone would attack her that night (as we reasoned they must have tried this because they recognized we were three girls alone) and she called her dad to see if he could pick her up from now on. He must have heard the panic in her voice, because he came right over and waited with us until the police came and everything got worked out.

Well, the police let us know it had nothing to do with us being three girls alone – someone had tried every shop door in Echterdingen until they finally managed to break into the Italian grocery market at the end of the street! First the wine shop, then the salon, then the pharmacy, the clothing store – one after the other. They must have been beginners if they couldn’t get but one door open. Anyway, the police took photos and made a report, but to my disappointment, they didn’t dust for prints. If they had, you’d totally be looking at my very own CSI show right now. Then we called for the key service guy and he fixed the door up all snazzy and new. We did have to turn our first two customers away, because we were still locked out then, but it makes for a good story when the bosses get back.

My favorite part was that Nadine and I couldn’t stop laughing and Sarah was totally freaking out. Gosh, I like my perspective on life! So here’s a toast to the Echterdingen policemen. Cheers men!