It was really funny incident. But, a friend of mine disappointedly told me that it was my style. Most of the people honoured me for my graduation from the University of Foreign Languages in Yangon when I attended the get-together of school friends in Japan about two month ago. During the event, I was often asked if Myanmar was a dangerous place to live. I haven’t faced any danger through out the period about five years in Yangon. I tell every body that it is a really safe city to live whenever I have a chance.

It was about 7o’clock in the morning on the fourth of October. We usually get up early and the dogs at about six o’clock. We—the caretaker, the three helpers who do the washing, cleaning and ironing and I—take turns to walk the dogs. One of my helpers was attending special classes for students of the University of Distance Education at the Meikhtila University at that time. I have two dogs—one brought from Japan and another brought temporarily from my restaurant because of my fear for problems that might cause during mating season. An occupant on the ninth floor of our apartment building also own two big dogs and two cats.

Character of my dogs is completely different. The old dog urinates only at the designated place. The Dalmatian urinates at places at one time. Two helpers had to walk the two different dogs separately on that day. I was alone at my apartment when the doorbell rang. I didn’t get enough sleep last night because I was sending e-mail till very late. I opened the door without any investigation. I thought the man said to be from the computer company. The other day, an acquaintance of mine visited me. (Myanmar people usually pay a visit to their friend’s house without any appointment.) But, it was too early for a visitor to come at an early hour about 7 o’clock. With no spectacles and with 0.007 degree of my sight, I could see the man was young with slander face wearing a baseball cap. The man in shirt and trousers did not look doubtful. I mistook him with the manager from the Eastern Hotel and invited him into the living. He started to look around the rooms by himself saying the rooms were large and beautiful. Exhausted and sleepy mood, I watched him sitting in the sofa in the living room. When decoration and furnishing at my flat finished, I showed it to a man who wanted his room to be modern. The man was brought by a staff from the office of our apartment building. I thought it was doubtful to see a stranger looking around the rooms. I was wondering why the hotel was here at very late hour. I thought he might be checking my desktop computer because he first talked about computer. I was looking for my glasses in sleepy mood. At that moment, the man got out of my room and left my apartment through the front door without saying goodbye to me. Wondering what was wrong, I rushed out of the room and looked at the corridor and saw nothing. Realizing something was wrong; I went back to my bedroom only to find out all the money in Myanmar kyats in the wallet near the computer set was stolen.

US dollars and FECs (Foreign Exchange Certificates) remained as they were. A watch bought from Japan was taken from the watches put on the table. I informed the security men on the ground floor although it was a bit late. They told me that the young man with glasses left the building that way. I said “He is a thief.” The youngest security man rushed after the thief but he didn’t see anything because it was about five minutes late. I was disappointed when the two helpers arrived back from their walk with dogs. I wearing pajama explained to them all. The couple from the upstairs flat said, “That guy rang the door bell and told us that he wanted to use the toilet. We didn’t let them in telling him there was a toilet on the ground floor. The maid from the 10th floor apartment owned by a doctor said, “The man also came to our flat and asked a girl’s name.” But, I was the only person who let the thief in.

The two helpers scolded me questioning why I let the man in without any knowledge about him. I was not wearing glasses when the incident took place. Security guards are on duty round the clock at the building. The entrance doors of the flats are of two protections—one made of teak and another made of iron rods. The incident took place because I live with no worries thinking the building is completely secure. This might not happen if I took care of my security myself like Myanmar people from the beginning. When I talked to other people about the incident, they told me that it was no body at home. In my case, if I entered my room following the thief and caught him red-handed while I was stealing, the incident might be even worse.

It might be good fate among the evil ones because I was sitting on the sofa, secure and there is no evil person.