I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please

  • Thread starter lisab
  • Start date
In summary, the homeowner's husband clogged the toilet and did not have time to flush it this morning, and when he came home tonight, he asked his wife about it. He was perplexed - he knew nothing about it! They called their daughter who lives in the area and did not find her there. They think it was a neighbor kid who is around 11 years old and was visiting. The homeowner is very worried and wants to ask the kid about it but is worried about the awkward conversation that would ensue.
  • #1
lisab
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If you get grossed out easily, stop reading now.

This is perhaps the most awkward thread I've ever started here. But I'm a bit perplexed at what to think of this situation, and I need some ideas.

I go to work very early, since I have a 1-hour commute in the morning. I left this morning at 6:00 am after a routine morning. My husband left shortly after I did, which is typical. No one else lives here, just the two of us.

I came home from work at 5:30 pm, which is about the usual time on days I don't go to the gym. I was surprised to find the downstairs toilet was, erm, full. It was totally clear when I left this morning. The only explanation I could think of was, my husband clogged it and didn't have time to clear it this morning. This is totally atypical of him, he fixes *everything*, but I couldn't think of another explanation.

So when he came home tonight I asked him about it. He was perplexed - he knew nothing about it! I called my daughter who lives in the area - did she come over today? No, she said, she was at work all day.

I completely trust my husband and daughter. They are both without embarrassment about such things, and would "confess" readily and even with a bit of humor.

Nothing in the house is disturbed. Nothing is missing (that I can tell).

We don't typically lock our doors - we live in a rural area. There are people out here, though, it's not like we live on the moon.

From what I can tell, someone came into our house and pooped in our toilet and did not flush. They did not take anything or disturb anything. What am I to think of this?

(Yes we will be locking the doors now, and that makes me very sad :frown:.)
 
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  • #3
Did it flush ok after you noticed it? I had a septic tank that backed up, but flushing was out of the question.
 
  • #4
Did the Mystery Pooper leave the seat up or down? Any similar incidents experienced by your neighbors?
 
  • #5
It's possible that there is a clog in your pipes and thus the toilet may not have flushed properly after whoever last used it. My suggestion would be to call an expert plumber and have your pipes checked out.
 
  • #6
We're nearly positive it wasn't malfunctioning plumbing. The tub is on the same line but closer to the septic tank, and it's lower than the toilet, but it's clear. And I've experienced that kind of plumbing malfunction before but this didn't look like that at all.

And yes it flushed as usual. Btw it's an old toilet, not one of the new "low flow" types. These older ones hardly ever clog!

The seat was down but the lid was open.

After looking at all possibilities, we think it was a neighbor kid. He's about 11 and hangs out in the area a lot. He's a nice kid, very gregarious and outgoing, but maybe a bit immature. His (single) dad works long hours and frequently travels on business. His older sister (14 years old) is supposed to look after him, but she's kind of flaky.

I don't think I want to ask the kid about it. If it wasn't him, that would be an awkward conversation. And if it was him, that would also be an awkward conversation. I don't mind that he comes by from time to time to visit, and I don't want to discourage that. But we will be locking the doors for a while - that gets our point across pretty clearly.

All in all, it's a weird situation!
 
  • #7
But we will be locking the doors for a while - that gets our point across pretty clearly.
Do you live in an area where people normally don't worry about locking their doors? I grew up automatically locking doors. There were stories we heard as kids about magical places where people don't lock their doors. We thought it was hyperbole.
 
  • #8
Do you still use film cameras? And drop the film off at a one hour photo? And does the guy that works there seem to know everyone in your family?

I'd be very worried.
 
  • #9
BobG said:
Do you still use film cameras? And drop the film off at a one hour photo? And does the guy that works there seem to know everyone in your family?

I'd be very worried.

:rofl:
 
  • #10
leroyjenkens said:
Do you live in an area where people normally don't worry about locking their doors? I grew up automatically locking doors. There were stories we heard as kids about magical places where people don't lock their doors. We thought it was hyperbole.
Yes it is a very strange concept. I would still lock my door if I lived in a shack in the wildness.

Assuming that lisab lives in a magical land it is probably a poop fairy.
 
  • #11
  • #12
lisab said:
I don't think I want to ask the kid about it. If it wasn't him, that would be an awkward conversation.
That's a good reason to do a little scientific investigation. You did take a sample before flushing didn't you? :yuck:
 
  • #13
If you haven't notified your local law enforcement yet, you should do so as soon as possible. They will want to know because this is actually a fairly common occurrence. Police refer to these prowlers as "poopers", and you were fortunate that he (it is almost always an adolescent "he") did it in the toilet. Usually, they do it in the middle of your bed, on the living-room carpet, or on the dining-room table. The police can also tell you what other "souvenirs" he may have left--which I'm not going to mention in this forum. This is only an initial step in what could be an escalating scale of harassment.

This is definitely something to be taken seriously--despite its somewhat humorous overtones. Locking all windows and doors when you're away is good. Don't relax after a few months of inaction and start leaving them unlocked again.
 
  • #14
klimatos said:
If you haven't notified your local law enforcement yet, you should do so as soon as possible. They will want to know because this is actually a fairly common occurrence. Police refer to these prowlers as "poopers", and you were fortunate that he (it is almost always an adolescent "he") did it in the toilet. Usually, they do it in the middle of your bed, on the living-room carpet, or on the dining-room table. The police can also tell you what other "souvenirs" he may have left--which I'm not going to mention in this forum. This is only an initial step in what could be an escalating scale of harassment.

This is definitely something to be taken seriously--despite its somewhat humorous overtones. Locking all windows and doors when you're away is good. Don't relax after a few months of inaction and start leaving them unlocked again.

Thanks, klimatos, this is a bit along the lines of what I was thinking, that it might be...complicated. We're definitely locking up everything now.
 
  • #15
Do any of your neighbors know that you don't typically lock your doors? Do any of them have children who could have been screaming mommy mommy, daddy daddy I have to go now. Kids also are most likely to forget to flush.
 
  • #16
edward said:
Do any of your neighbors know that you don't typically lock your doors? Do any of them have children who could have been screaming mommy mommy, daddy daddy I have to go now. Kids also are most likely to forget to flush.

We don't broadcast it, but it's not what I would call a secret, either.

The non-flush is what made me think of the kid down the street. Or, as I just posted, someone who's "not right".
 
  • #17
lisab said:
Thanks, klimatos, this is a bit along the lines of what I was thinking, that it might be...complicated. We're definitely locking up everything now.

I think he's right, though, that you should also tell the cops about it. It could be your house isn't the only one where this has happened, or, even it was the perpetrator's first such crime he might do it again in other houses.
 
  • #18
Zoobyshoe is right. If it is the kid you think it is, he needs help badly. The sooner he gets it, the better his chances are of a good life. You don't want to be an enabler. Report it. You don't have to tell the police your suspicions, necessarily. They probably share them.
 
  • #19
Since you have a septic tank, that would be my primary suspect. Have you had it pumped out in recent memory? A toilet is the path of least resistance. I find it odd no other evidence of an intruder was apparent. Break and poop is not a particularly common crime in rural areas. Security tape at suspect points is a great, cheap option. Living in fear of your neighbors is unhealthy and, in your case, unfounded. I'm not saying locking doors is a bad idea, but, not that difficult to thwart. Defeating a security seal is difficult - providing you avoid breaking it yourself and forget it was there.
 
Last edited:
  • #20
klimatos said:
If you haven't notified your local law enforcement yet, you should do so as soon as possible. They will want to know because this is actually a fairly common occurrence. Police refer to these prowlers as "poopers", and you were fortunate that he (it is almost always an adolescent "he") did it in the toilet. Usually, they do it in the middle of your bed, on the living-room carpet, or on the dining-room table. The police can also tell you what other "souvenirs" he may have left--which I'm not going to mention in this forum. This is only an initial step in what could be an escalating scale of harassment.

This is definitely something to be taken seriously--despite its somewhat humorous overtones. Locking all windows and doors when you're away is good. Don't relax after a few months of inaction and start leaving them unlocked again.

I would agree with this but I would have probably thrown out liquid bottles in the refridgerator. The individual(s) probably went through that too. Disturbing event to say the least.
 
  • #21
A)somebody is sleepwalking
B)it was someone with a dire need and your open door with a possible reflection of the mighty friendly toilet bowl looked too inviting to resist.

Well, as you said, nothing was taken, the only thing to do is to blame yourself/whoever for leaving the house unlocked.
 
  • #22
lendav_rott said:
...the only thing to do is to blame yourself/whoever for leaving the house unlocked.
I have to disagree with this. The person who took advantage of the unlocked door is 100% to blame. In our society you don't go into someone else's house without permission. Absence of permission should be as good as a lock, and entering without permission as bad as picking the lock.
 
  • #23
Very well, you can keep your home unlocked and blame the phantom when you have nothing to sit on once you get back from work.
 
  • #24
lendav_rott said:
Very well, you can keep your home unlocked and blame the phantom when you have nothing to sit on once you get back from work.

My point is that not locking your door does not make you "fair game." It's pretty easy to overcome certain kinds of lock with a plastic card. Are you "fair game" if you have such a lock? Are you fair game if you have a hard-to-defeat lock, but don't have an alarm system? Are you "fair game" so long as you don't make your house into an impregnable fortress with a 24 hour armed security?
 
  • #25
I am kind of ...lost, why are we arguing over something so painfully obvious such as locking your house when you are not home, again? Since you started this fair game business I won't even bother anymore - this is clearly a cultural difference, may Allah, Jesus or whoever it is that watches over you, smile upon you when your TV is missing.
 
  • #26
lendav_rott said:
I am kind of ...lost, why are we arguing over something so painfully obvious such as locking your house when you are not home, again?
It's not painfully obvious in a rural community where most people don't do it.
 
  • #27
Yes, but it isn't the point. You have nobody to blame but yourself if something has been stolen from you because of You and you alone. It's fortunate that the visitor didn't steal anything from lisab's house. I used to live in a neighborhood when you would walk through one of your neighbor's door 7 o clock in the morning to have a morning chat and coffee/tea before work without a second thought and nothing was ever stolen as the homes were open all day long. I even remember when one of my neighbors called me and asked if their kids could go to our place to get some food, because their fridge was empty at the time and it was fine with me. Who am I going to blame if something of mine was stolen, though, should I blame the kids? What if some unknown figure happened to notice the unlocked door, took a dump in the toilet, helped themselves to a nice watch and a decent pair of headphones? I will blame myself for leaving the door unlocked, there is no one else to blame, fortunately it never got to that, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't lock the door.
 
  • #28
Blame for what? Trusting human nature to do any good or getting your nice watch and a decent pair of headphones stolen?
 
  • #29
lendav_rott said:
Who am I going to blame if something of mine was stolen, though...
I guess, in your world, the person who stole the stuff is completely free of blame. Not in my world, though.
 
  • #30
I practically never lock my doors, either. What good would that do in the summer when I leave my windows open all day?

Granted, I do have a dog with a loud bark, so the only person likely to open the door would be someone that knew my dog (she might bark, but at 12-years-old, she isn't exactly ferocious).

I don't lock my Jeep, either. If I locked the doors, a person that didn't realize you could just unzip the windows might cut the top open. But it is kind of interesting how things work out.

When the top and doors are on with the doors unlocked, I'll sometimes find the contents of my center console and glove box strewn around. I once had my registration, proof of insurance, an access badge, and a phone charger stolen from my Jeep. They left my sunglasses. I later recovered it as the perpetrator broke into several vehicles that night, leaving the numerous registrations, proof of insurance, and other miscellaneous stuff in a drainage ditch. Evidently, he just grabbed from each vehicle and sorted things out later to see if he'd actually gotten anything worthwhile.

When there is no top and no doors, no one messes with my Jeep.
 
  • #31
Update on this story: my husband ran into the kid's dad recently and asked how the kid was doing. The dad said, Not good, he's been stealing things from classmates, teachers, and friends, he's been caught lying, starting fires, and sneaking into neighbor's houses. He *volunteered* this information. He also said he's seeking a professional and experienced counselor for his son.

So, I'm pretty sure it was this kid. I feel bad for the family. At least they're getting help.

And yes we are locking our doors. No incidents since that one.
 
  • #32
lisab said:
Update on this story: my husband ran into the kid's dad recently and asked how the kid was doing. The dad said, Not good, he's been stealing things from classmates, teachers, and friends, he's been caught lying, starting fires, and sneaking into neighbor's houses. He *volunteered* this information. He also said he's seeking a professional and experienced counselor for his son.

So, I'm pretty sure it was this kid. I feel bad for the family. At least they're getting help.

And yes we are locking our doors. No incidents since that one.

Be careful! The more simple crimes seem to escalate over time. There is a problem with a 20 year old in my neighborhood and it just keeps getting worse.
 
  • #33
My dad got me a counselor when I was 10 ... his hand. It was effective. Apparently, that is no longer considered politically correct.
 
  • #34
This is the classic MO for a scat burglar.
 
  • #35
Ivan Seeking said:
This is the classic MO for a scat burglar.

:rofl:
 
<h2>1. What is the purpose of "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please"?</h2><p>The purpose of "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please" is to request possible explanations or theories for a particular phenomenon or situation. It is a way to gather different perspectives and ideas from others in order to better understand a topic.</p><h2>2. Who typically asks for "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please"?</h2><p>Anyone can ask for "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please", but it is commonly used by researchers, scientists, and students who are seeking to expand their knowledge and understanding of a topic.</p><h2>3. How can "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please" be helpful in scientific research?</h2><p>"I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please" can be helpful in scientific research by providing a platform for collaboration and brainstorming. It allows researchers to consider different perspectives and hypotheses, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of a topic.</p><h2>4. Is "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please" a reliable source of information?</h2><p>No, "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please" is not a reliable source of information. It is simply a request for ideas and theories, and the validity of the responses cannot be guaranteed. It is important to fact-check and verify any information gathered from this platform.</p><h2>5. How should one respond to "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please"?</h2><p>One should respond to "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please" by providing well-reasoned and evidence-based explanations or theories. It is important to be respectful and open-minded, as the goal is to collaborate and learn from others. It is also helpful to provide sources or references to support your response.</p>

1. What is the purpose of "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please"?

The purpose of "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please" is to request possible explanations or theories for a particular phenomenon or situation. It is a way to gather different perspectives and ideas from others in order to better understand a topic.

2. Who typically asks for "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please"?

Anyone can ask for "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please", but it is commonly used by researchers, scientists, and students who are seeking to expand their knowledge and understanding of a topic.

3. How can "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please" be helpful in scientific research?

"I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please" can be helpful in scientific research by providing a platform for collaboration and brainstorming. It allows researchers to consider different perspectives and hypotheses, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of a topic.

4. Is "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please" a reliable source of information?

No, "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please" is not a reliable source of information. It is simply a request for ideas and theories, and the validity of the responses cannot be guaranteed. It is important to fact-check and verify any information gathered from this platform.

5. How should one respond to "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please"?

One should respond to "I Need Some Possible Explanations, Please" by providing well-reasoned and evidence-based explanations or theories. It is important to be respectful and open-minded, as the goal is to collaborate and learn from others. It is also helpful to provide sources or references to support your response.

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