One evening, after ordering takeout for my kids and myself, I noticed something unusual. Our regular delivery driver, Ravi, seemed nervous and barely spoke as he handed over the food. My son even asked, “What’s wrong with Ravi?” Moments later, I noticed a handwritten message on the back of the delivery bag: “CHECK YOUR TRASH CAN.” Alarmed, I sent the kids inside and went to look.
In one trash can, everything appeared normal, but in the second, I found a disturbing scene: a dirty blanket covering gloves, tools, and an unlabeled bottle of liquid. Fearing the worst, I immediately contacted the sheriff. They advised us to stay inside and confirmed the bottle contained a chemical used to weaken locks—our home had likely been targeted as part of a local burglary spree.
By the next morning, I urgently arranged to have security cameras installed around our home. Though still shaken, knowing we had surveillance in place offered some peace of mind. Later that day, I spotted Ravi in the neighborhood and stopped him to ask about the note. Nervously, he admitted he had seen two suspicious individuals tampering with our trash but wasn’t sure how to react—his quick thinking helped protect us.
I’m deeply grateful for Ravi’s courage and the sheriff’s swift action. This experience taught me an important lesson: trust your instincts and never ignore a warning, no matter how small. A simple note on a takeout bag may very well have prevented a terrifying situation from unfolding.