The House is a Museum, When People Come to See 'Em

My brother-in-law and I decide that I will make a call to my brother and attempt to understand the situation, and advise if there needs to be a 911 call or a drive home from the cottage or recon mission from me. Or all of the above.

I dial my brother's cell. We exchange pleasantries in which I ascertain that he is not at my sister's house at present...and then I ask if he was at her house. Of course he was.

I back into the situation...did he leave the house unlocked, because someone is playing with the XBox...

Silence...then stammering.

He is in a flop sweat. Are there hidden camera's at the compound????

He admits that his son was bored and went into the house (how I don't know...maybe he is a cat burglar in training) and began playing with the XBox. Then he had to use the facilities (Do we still not understand "go before you leave the house" at this age?) And well you know.

It is clear to me that they helped themselves to a heaping helping of hospitality - and did not expect to leave any tracks.

He tries to use the "we are all family what is yours is mine and what is mine is yours" defense.

I cut him off and tell him that much like it was rude and intrusive for him to key into my house while I was at work last year, just because he knew where the spare key is hidden (or was hidden, it has been moved) and to log onto my computer and poke around on the intranet all afternoon and eat my groceries and drink my ice tea, because he had to get away from his shrew wife and had nowhere else to go, it is unwelcome and obnoxious and a violation of trust to simply enter our sister's family's home under those circumstances.

Had there truly been a "situation" and he really needed to gain entry to the house, could he not have called? And if that were the case, under no circumstances should he have been playing video games, or exploring the contents of the fridge, or rifling through the mail - and for God's sake flush when you leave.

He tried to blame the intrusion on his 11 year old. As if he has no responsibility for his actions.

An idiot says what?

He tells me that he in no way "needs the hassle" and is not even going to discuss it.

Enough said. I click off the call and redial my brother-in-law. Who by the way, despite being very angry, has the calm and reserved demeanor of a priest. In my mind, I am clunking heads. It must be the difference in our parents. Someone ought to study that.

I offer to go to the house and to ensure that the escape artist cat has not left the premises, and that the doors and windows are secure, alarm set and all appliances are off. The property is crawling with all manner of opportunistic golf enthusiasts ogling the latest philandering golf phenom, and it would not be outrageous for my brother to leave a door standing open, calling to sociopath intruders.

The kids have had about enough of the pool and are bursting at the seams from snack bar atrocities. We collect our things and flip flop to the car to pay a visit to my sister's house.

I am happy to do so - but want to wring my brother's neck for the turmoil he has again left in his wake.