knock knock - are you dead?

[susandennis]

I was sitting here... knitting a bear... watching Fargo on TV when there was a knock at the door.  Ann knocks and comes in. This knock didn't come in.  So I got up and went to the door to find a giant policeman there.  He said they had gotten a report that there was a woman dead in unit 413.

If there ever was a true WTF moment in my life, this was probably it.

I allowed as how I was not very dead at all - I wasn't even particularly tired.  I invited them in to check for bodies.

I had gotten a call about 15 minutes earlier from a weird guy who wouldn't tell me who he was or who he was calling for and then asked if I was the one who knitted. I said I knitted and he asked if I would knit him something and I said no that I didn't do that.  Then he hung up. He called back about 5 minutes later and just grunted. I blocked his number.

I showed the cops the web cameras and explained that heavy breathers weren't totally out of the ordinary here but that was the only connection to something like this I could think of. Also, apparently, the call did not come into 911 but to the non emergency number so likely someone not calling locally.

The cops were pretty astounded to learn about the web cams. They could not get their heads around it. There ended up being 4 here and none of them had ever heard of such a thing as a publicly available webcam in a living room.  One of them noted that now that he understood he was really shocked to learn that I got random calls only once a month or so...'should be a lot more than that!'

The creepy caller tried again several times while the cops were here. When they learned that the one came has speakers, one of the cops said really loudly "Quit calling her!"  Funny.  I love Google Voice for letting me block and then letting me see his extra tries after the block!

The police said that a David Russell made the call and said he was visiting unit 426 and saw the dead woman in my unit. The local ABC affiliate TV truck was already waiting outside.

I was kind of sorry to have disappointed everyone. The cops were great and really impressed with my place and with the building. I allowed as how it was a great place to live and very safe.  One of them said "I guess so, if it's been here for more than 20 years and I've never had a call in here before!"

I allowed as how I was impressed but also so sorry that this idiot had wasted so much resource. It was a little embarrassing. They even got the building manager up here who about had a heart attack himself when they told him I was dead.

Quite the afternoon!!!  Now, back to Fargo.

Comments

[captainsblog.livejournal.com]

Having this happen during Fargo makes it infinitely more surreal.

I can't wait for the finale next week. It's been amazing watching Lester evolve- or is it devolve?

[susandennis]

I know! The Fargo factor gave it a real twist.

Have you ever seen the PBS Sherlock? Lester is Dr. Watson. That is very surreal. I had to suspend watching that series until Fargo is done and I can get some Lester distance.

[captainsblog.livejournal.com]

Fan of all three BBC Sherlock series- his John goes through a lot of the same clueless twists and turns that Lester does.

Freeman was also Arthur Dent in the Disneyfied big-picture version of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and was one of the pubcrawlers in The World's End ending to Simon Pegg's "Cornado trilogy" of films. So yeah, when he gets a script, I suspect he's used to whatever is going to follow.

[susandennis]

I did NOT know all that! The World's End is on my TiVo. Glad for the heads up to keep an eye out.

Re: OMG

[susandennis]

Yeah... my new status NDY

Not Dead Yet

[tbass.livejournal.com]

Wow. Your Saturday was much more exciting than mine.

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

I'm glad they were disappointed!

What a strange thing for someone to do. What did they think they would accomplish?

[unclecliffy.livejournal.com]

The life you lead! :)

[susandennis]

I know, right? For some who never does anything and spends most waking hours sitting in one chair knitting, it's really kind of incredible!!

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

I only FEEL dead most of the time, but nobody has ever called the cops on me.

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

Your living room cam isn't working, maybe that's why your admirer thought you had died?

[susandennis]

OMG lemme check!

Nope. They are both working fine here...

Which one isn't working for you? the one on this page or the one at the link at the bottom?

http://susandennis.com/cam/

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

Your link works fine. The "Living room cam" at the bottom of your website says it's under construction. Weird. But I see you now!

[susandennis]

THANK YOU!!

I did not realize that link was old (and found another old one while I was fixing that one) PLUS the susandennis.net domain is broken which it shouldn't be.

Fixing that domain now but the page links are already fixed.

You are a GREAT tester. Thank you.

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

And I saw you wave at me. Ha.

[susandennis]

And now, http://susandennis.net is fixed as well.

I had not idea so many things were broken and I'm so glad you found all of them so I could fix.

You get a star.

[legalmoose]

Bring out yer dead!

;)

[susandennis]

But I feel fine!!!! And I'm putting on a helmet.

[cloud-hands.livejournal.com]

So what I want to know is did this whole thing go out over the web cam? or did it all happen off camera?

[susandennis]

You mean the cops? Mostly they were in full view of both webcams. And the whole time they were here anyone watching/listening in on the Dropcam could have heard them.

[lookfar.livejournal.com]

That's quite an amazing story. Not dead, here!

What is the thing with the webcams? Are you a knitting webcam? Like a puppy cam or a beach cam but knitting? Even still, how would someone get your number?

[susandennis]

Here's an article written recently that includes details about me and my webcams.

http://narrative.ly/the-spies-among-us/smile-youre-on-worldwide-webcam/

My phone number is easy to get. If you have a phone book, it's listed. It's on my website in several places. It's not a mystery. Plus, it's been the same number for more than 20 odd years.

[lookfar.livejournal.com]

Would you say that you are a strong introvert? I'm always surprised by the introverts I meet on LJ and the kind of contact they do and don't like. One of my introvert friends doesn't like to socialize, but she has many pen pals, like with stamps! It surprises me that you don't mind being watched. I'd always be afraid I'd forget and pick my nose.

[susandennis]

I honestly don't know if I'm an introvert or not. I do not like people much face to face but I do like being around them. I love my pool because I know the other swimmers and the lifeguards and take comfort in seeing them there every day but I don't think I want to spend a whole lot of other time with them.

I am dependent on my online friends for feedback and comfort and sharing but again, not sure I want to spend a whole lot of face to face time with them.

I enjoy not being responsible to anyone and not be dependent on anyone... hard to say.

I'm perfectly fine with picking my nose on camera. I think it's lovely that people want to see me plus, I don't have to do anything like set out lunch or make sparkling conversation.

[galebird.livejournal.com]

You're the most feisty dead lady I've ever seen, not that I make a habit of seeing dead people. Just peeked in and in my sleep deprived state was certain your fancy computer was a very strange TV. Then my brain kicked in and realized it was the fancy box your brother put together for you.

At least your one major creeper went big with his stupidity and you got to astound some of Seattle's cops with the wonder of webcams.

[susandennis]

:)

Holy Shit, Batman!

[pisceandreamer.livejournal.com]

I am very glad you are among the not dead!

I also hope they find the creeper that called the cops on you.

(I called the cops on my grandma once. Then found out that she wasn't thinking about the fact it was "check-in Sunday" - and she just assumed I was a telemarketer...)

Again, glad you're still among the living.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

That is seriously weird, and kind of hilarious.
Nice to know so many people were concerned.

[shutterbug.livejournal.com]

Great story. And wow, news crew?

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

WOW! Just wow.

[jss]

Did one of them check your pulse? Maybe you're a vampire and undead.

[susandennis]

They did not!! hmmmmmmm

[jwg.livejournal.com]

I wonder what the official Police Report says about this.

[susandennis]

I have the report number ... I think it's Suspicious Circumstances... but I wonder if I can find more. Thanks for the suggestion!

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

Criminy!— Did they ask you for the number he was calling from? because false report is itself a crime.

[susandennis]

oh yeah. they got his number.

[fj.livejournal.com]

Oh lol. I had to tweet this.

[fj.livejournal.com]

Ah, I had forgotten you were already on Twitter.

[susandennis]

I'm everywhere, dude.

[susandennis]

Just saw the tweet - made me smile.

The BEST use of webcam, tho... has to the time you guys had me on TV at your party in Boston lo those many years ago.