Jennifer’sstoryDaviddidn’tlookatalllikehisphotographontheInternetdatingsite.Ithinkitmusthavebeenanoldone.Hishairwasshorterandhewaswearinganawfulblackstripedsuit.IthoughthelookedkindandfriendlybutIdidn’tfancyhim.Idon’tknowifitwasthealcohol,butwhenhestartedtalking,Ididn’tgetachancetosayanything.Hemadesomestupidjokesandlaughedatthemhimself(Ididn’tthinktheywerefunny).Ididn’twanttolistentosillyjokes.Iwantedtotalkaboutmoreseriousthings–youknow,gettoknowhimbetter,hisfamily,hisinterestsandhobbiesandsoon.DuringthemealDavidhadalongconversationwiththewaitressaboutthewine.Heignoredallmysuggestionsandthatputmeinareallybadmood,soIdidn’tsayanythingfortherestoftheevening.Iwashappywhenthemealwasfinished.Itwasamiserableevening.Icouldn’twaittogetataxiandgohome.ThiswasmyfirstInternetdateandIthinkitwasmylastone.IwonderifIwilltellmyfriendsaboutDavidwhenwegogeocachingtomorrow.

BIstoodoutsidemyfrontdoorcatchingmybreath.AfteralazyChristmasholiday,Ihadtorecoverfromclimbingstairswithcarry-onbagsandasuitcase.Ilookedupandblinked.Redtapecrossedthedoor.Ididn’tunderstandHungarian,buttheoneEnglishwordsaidenough:“POLICE”.GoogleTranslatetoldmeIwouldbearrestedifIentered,soIdidn’t.Finally,Icalledmyrentalagent.Hewenttothepolicestationformoredetails.Myagentreturnedwithauthorizationtoenter.Notonlyweremyfilesundisturbed,butsoweretheTVandprinter.Theburglarshadtakenafewitemsfromthetopdraweraswellasasmallamountofforeigncurrencyinthebottomdrawer.Somehowtheyhadn’tfoundthejewelryboxinthethirddrawer.Iwasinshock.Myagent’swordswerefuzzy,somethingaboutfixingthelockstomorrowandmakingalistforthepolice.Thenoneday,IrememberedthatI’dleftanotherjewelryboxintheflat.MyheartsankasIthoughtofanotherlocketthathadbeeninthatbox,agoldengravedonewithapictureofmylatehoneyGrandmainside.WhenIrealizedtheboxwasmissing,thewholeexperienceseemedtocrashdownonme.Icried.AttheendofJanuary,Ireceivedaregisteredletterfromthepolice.Theburglarhadn’tbeenfound,andthecasewasclosed.Isleptwithmypursebymybed.IhidmylaptopwhenIshowered.Andthenanotherchallengerose.Iwasunexpectedlylaidoff.ThenoneJulynight,Ireachedintomythirddrawer,pulledoutmyjeanshorts,andheardasmallthud.Ilookeddownandblinked:ItwasthetinyjewelryboxIthoughthadbeenstolensixmonthsearlier.InsidewasthelocketwithhoneyGrandmasmilingatme,beingthereforme,tellingmenottogiveup.Istartedtocry.