Home Mobile Archives Reader Blogs Register Login

Friday, May 02, 2008

Reason Why I Love North Dakota #5,768,423

I was talking to The Whistler recently about my purchase of a new house (we close next week on Wed. and the wait is killing me) and he told me that when he bought his house the moment he was most excited about was the part where the old owner handed him the keys.  The funny thing was when his closing day arrived the old owner...didn’t have any keys for his house.  He hadn’t locked it up in years and didn’t know where they were at.

Upon hearing that something dawned on me: I don’t have any keys for my old house either.  I guess I’ve never really felt like I had to lock my house up.  The few times we have gone out of town for any significant amount of time we’d lock the front doors but left a back patio door open so we could get back in.

I’ll either have to get some new ones made or have a similar moment with the people who eventually buy the house from me.  But the larger reality - that North Dakotans generally live in communities so safe that a lot of them don’t even feel like they need to lock up their homes - is a comforting one.

Comments

Avatar for Jay

We only have the original key from 1920 something for our front door.  We don’t use it all that often either.  However, I recently discovered that a certain number of alleged drug dealers have ties to a house across the street from mine, so the key gets more use now.

Jay on May 2, 2008 at 10:09 am

Rob please e-mail me your address before you move so I can give you a taste of California.

ellinas on May 2, 2008 at 11:25 am
Rob
Rob
17185 comments
Send a private message

Not a chance, cupcake, but if you do figure out where I live please know that a taste of North Dakota is waiting for you just inside the door.

I’m an NRA member, and a firm believer that the 2nd amendment is a state of mind and not just a exemption so I can keep a deer rifle in the house.


The war against illegal plunder has been fought since the beginning of the world. But how is… legal plunder to be identified? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay … If such a law is not abolished immediately it will spread, multiply and develop into a system.

Frédéric Bastiat, The Law

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

robport.gif border=0

Rob on May 2, 2008 at 11:30 am
Avatar for Donkephant

I’m an NRA member, and a firm believer that the 2nd amendment is a state of mind and not just a exemption so I can keep a deer rifle in the house.

Amen.

Donkephant on May 2, 2008 at 11:46 am

Squirrels are always in season in North Dakota.


The Debate is over!  Global Whining has been confirmed.


The Whistler's signature
The Whistler on May 2, 2008 at 11:49 am

elinas,

I’m right here in the Godlen State too, and my friends still have not heard from yours.  Have you suddenly become shy?


Out Here
Rodney G. Graves

Persia delenda est.
Latin: “Persia (modern day Iran) should be destoyed”

Rodney Graves on May 2, 2008 at 11:53 am

rg, were you trying to say ‘golden’ or ‘godless’, really the same for California.


Being liberal is never having to admit you’re wrong

docdave on May 2, 2008 at 01:01 pm

dd,

All too true.


Out Here
Rodney G. Graves

Persia delenda est.
Latin: “Persia (modern day Iran) should be destoyed”

Rodney Graves on May 2, 2008 at 02:03 pm

Got me wondering about keys now. I always use my garage door opener.


""That’s the problem with you lefties, you’re not willing to get your hands dirty. I’d suggest you roll up your sleeves.”

-Jack Bauer

Hoss on May 2, 2008 at 06:32 pm
Avatar for brad

I love it.
you just told the entire world that your house is wide open.  Maybe you want to post your soc. sec. number?
credit card number?

brad on May 3, 2008 at 06:40 am

brad, what you don’t understand is that in a no-lock community, neighbors watch out for each other.  It’s unlikely that anyone not familiar to the community (a potential criminal) would get very far in that kind of environment.


Being liberal is never having to admit you’re wrong

docdave on May 3, 2008 at 07:15 am

elinas,

I’m right here in the Godlen State too, and my friends still have not heard from yours.  Have you suddenly become shy?
Rodney Graves on May 2, 2008 at 11:53 am

Dearest Rodney. No I
have not become shy. Anytime you are ready to down a good brew, have a good conversation or shoot the breeze my email is available to you. I live in northern California. Stockton to be exact.

ellinas on May 3, 2008 at 07:26 am

elinas,

Nice to know you are close by.  Over grass and before breakfast would be fine for me.  My friends still wait to hear from yours.


Out Here
Rodney G. Graves

Persia delenda est.
Latin: “Persia (modern day Iran) should be destoyed”

Rodney Graves on May 3, 2008 at 08:19 am

elinas,

Nice to know you are close by.  Over grass and before breakfast would be fine for me.  My friends still wait to hear from yours.

I never drink anything but water or coffee before breakfast.
How close are you? (Mles)
Please don’t tell me you live in the Gay Area.

ellinas on May 3, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Avatar for HG

That places like this still exist in America is one reason I am seriously considering moving.

HG on May 4, 2008 at 12:33 pm

We lock up when we are going out of state, beyond that, come on in. How and in what condition you leave is entirely dependent upon you.

We have had a couple of outbreaks of petty theft and breakins by the methhead idiots in the region. That is when being widely known as that crazyeyed, longhaired white trash up the road comes in handy.


Una Salus Victus Nullam Sperare Salutem

2Hotel9 on May 5, 2008 at 12:43 pm

2H9, SayAnything has got your reputation out there, worldwide.


The Debate is over!  Global Whining has been confirmed.


The Whistler's signature
The Whistler on May 5, 2008 at 04:40 pm

Locks only keep honest people out.
smile


flag002.gif washC.gif

Anna on May 5, 2008 at 05:14 pm

Correct.  I do remember when people respected other’s property and lives.
The Truth:  We were vacationing at Lake Balaton about ten years ago.  When we left the room for the lake, I was embarrassed into not locking our door.  Everyone would hear the key turn and know who it was that did not trust those around them.  This is the way it was in the USA before God was taken out of our schools and country.


Communism is evil

Chief RZ on May 5, 2008 at 05:56 pm

Toot, it already was!

Expanded this conversation to several friends today, amazingly, only one of them locks his doors, and that only because his ex-son-in-law robbed them a couple of years ago. Of the other 8, 7 had no idea where the keys for their front doors were, although they had keys to machine sheds, barns, and garages on their persons. #8? A 31 year postman. Has a ring of keys that makes mine look small and ineffectual. And like me he knows exactly what every one of them goes to. And he can not remember when last he locked up his house.


Una Salus Victus Nullam Sperare Salutem

2Hotel9 on May 6, 2008 at 05:03 pm
Page 1 of 1        

Post a Comment


Before commenting, please recite:

Grant me the serenity to ignore the trolls,
the courage to debate with honest opponents,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Name   
Email   
URL   
Human?
  
 

Upload Image    

Remember my personal information

Notify me of follow-up comments?

Note: Notifications will only be sent to confirmed email addresses.