Memorandum

To: ALL RESIDENTS OF THE XXXXX
From: XXXX XXXXX, Community Manager
Date: November 29, 2005
Re: Recent Crimes

This memo is to alert all of you of the recent crimes that have occurred and affected residents of this building.

On Sunday, November 27, 2005 at about 1:30 in the afternoon, a resident was robbed at gun point. This occurred near XXXXX Street at the end of the alley (it is called XXXXXX Street, between the main streets XXXXX and XXXXXX). The assailants were described as young African American males.

This is a popular short cut to the 7-11 and downtown.PLEASE BE CAREFUL!

The police were notified. The officers indicated that this time of year there are more robberies than usual. Also, if any of you have any information that may help with the investigation, please call the police and let them know. Thank you.

This is how we harald the holidays in my neighborhood. Not really as big a deal as it looks, but the armed robberies do always spike. Criminals need to buy their children presents too, you know? It isn’t like I live in Bolton Hill or something. That area is mug central. The citizens in my area rarely have more than six dollars in their pockets; and consequently, the muggers rarely bother with us.

But every holiday season, I do change my routine. I stop shortcutting through the alleys, I carry a dummy wallet with forty bucks, leave the real one at home, and stuff any extra cash I may have in my socks. The origin of stocking stuffers, perhaps?

So this morning I received this memo. Monday morning I walked the two blocks to work and watched the police throw a purse snatcher in a patty wagon. Knocking on wood. The holidays are ambivalent.