Disclaimer: The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons, places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
Scene: Office setting the day following a neighborhood barbecue hosted by S. Notamoto.
Themmos: Hey Notamoto, thanks for that great cookout last night, by all standards it was the best one we've had in the neighborhood for years.
Notamoto: Thanks Themmos! I really try to help out where I can. After all our neighborhood and community is very important to me. I have put my life into building my home and grounds, as well as the foundations for our great community, and want everyone to know how much I appreciate everyone's support.
Themmos: Yeah, that's great Notamoto. Hey, umm, I been meaning to tell you something.
Notamoto: Yes?
Themmos: Well, a couple of us happened to notice a few of the locks on your house were quite old and maybe a bit of a security risk.
Notamoto: Really?
Themmos: Yes, you see, we were hanging out by the front door as the party grew, and while you were out back cooking up some of those delicious seafood kebabs, we got to talking about the vintage style of your locks.
Notamoto: My locks?
Themmos: Yes, yes, your locks Notamoto. Charlie and Bob, they were saying they appeared to be an earlier design, a less secure design mind you.
Notamoto: I think my locks are just fine.
Themmos: No, no Notamoto, I assure you they are not. In fact they are quite insecure. You see after a few drinks we got to theorizing on how some ambitious criminal could somehow in the future come up with a way to circumvent your locks and steal all of your possessions.
Notamoto: I think my possessions are quite safe. After all they been that way for years.
Themmos: I realize that Notamoto, but you are not seeing the big picture. The way Charlie and I figure it sometime, perhaps in as little as 10 years, someone might come up with a way to break in to your house and steal everything you own.
Notamoto: Well as unlikely as that sounds, let's just play along with your fantasy for a minute. They steal all of my stuff, so how does that concern you?
Themmos: It concerns me and the rest of the neighborhood greatly Notamoto. You see we are still recovering from Carpet-les staging his home robbery a few years back. Property values are just now beginning to recover. We as your neighbors cannot allow that type of thing to happen again. After all, who would want to buy a home in a neighborhood so infested with crime?
Notamoto: I think you are overreacting and stretching things a bit here?
Themmos: Well, I hate to have it come down to this Natamoto, after all you were the first to build in the neighborhood and laid the foundations for such a great community for the rest of us to come in behind you and build upon, but not this is no longer just about you. It is about our right to have our property values remain stable, if not continue to rise.
Notamoto: Uhh..
Themmos: Ok, well what I been meaning to tell you, no use protesting as it is already in motion, Charlie and Bob are burning your house down as we speak.
Notamoto: WHAT!!!!?
Themmos: Yes, Natamoto, you see a house burns down, it is a sad tragedy, but long term no harm is done to the community, it is JUST a house fire. Buyers are not scarred off.
Notamoto: My house?
Themmos: But if someone were to break in and steal all your possessions, well now, I don't think the community could recover, at least not in the time-frame myself and others are comfortable with. I mean no one would pay top dollar to buy a house in a community with a burglary problem.
Notamoto: My life, my dreams, my passions?
Themmos: Yes, yes, I hate to be the one telling you this Notamoto, but don't think of yourself, think of the community. After all, you brought this on yourself, as you could have moved all your possessions and changed your locks long ago. You have had like 7 years man, what were you thinking.
Notamoto: I can't believe this, someone call the police, the fire department, uhhhh?
Themmos: Too late for any of that Notamoto, well I need to get back to work, nice chatting with you.