A couple of neighbors on the Fisher Park listserv are a little upset with the N&R story describing the neighborhood as remaining “on edge” following the murder at Red Mike’s Grocery, describing it as “sensationalism.”

I didn’t think much of the article one way or the other. I can’t say I’m personally am on edge, because common sense dictates that the suspects are miles from the crime scene now. I realize that my be overestimating the intelligence of criminal mind, however.

When I first moved to Fisher Park, I used to leave the keys to my truck in the ignition overnight and laugh at people who locked their doors in the middle of the day. The neighborhood listserv has alerted me to the surprising number of car break-ins overnight and suspicious characters roaming the neighborhood. I’ve had a few come to my door and raise the obvious red flag — a request to use the phone. I’ve brought the phone to them on the porch and —you guessed it — the people they were trying call weren’t available. I’m not a paranoid person, so I don’t dwell on why they would want access to the inside of my house. They just don’t get access, period.

The murder at Red Mike’s, not to mention the idiot who careened out of control and hit two kids in Lindley Park the other day, shows that you need to be ready for anything at any time. But again, I’m not a paranoid person.