Paul Turner: Do you forgo becoming snowbird out of fear of Spokane burglars?

I had asked readers what’s keeping them from becoming snowbirds.

Assuming they are retired and could afford it, et cetera.

And I had already engaged in several exchanges on strategies for coping with winter when I heard from regular caller Tim Wink, an amiable retiree.

“I do have the financial wherewithal and I certainly have the inclination to get out of here for about four months, but there is no way I’m going to leave my home in Spokane vacant for that long,” he said. “There is no way I could sleep at night, even if I was spending my days playing golf in Arizona.”

Tim’s concern, of course, is that his house would be broken into or vandalized while he was away.

It’s not an unusual worry. I mean, who hasn’t had those kind of thoughts when planning to be away for even a short vacation?

But it could be argued that Tim’s observation points to an undeniable shift in Spokane’s self-image.

Where once we might have pretended Spokane was some sort of sleepy “Leave it to Beaver” burg (in the best sense), our updated picture conjures images of a sadder-but-wiser place populated by thieves and scam artists.

OK, the old vision was partly myth. We all know that. Spokane has always had charm, but that didn’t stop bad things from happening here – even if residents did not talk about some of it openly or read about it in the newspaper.

Neither is it true that the modern Lilac City’s leading economic indicators are overnight delivery packages stolen from porches and great-grandparents bilked out of their savings by telephone cons. It just seems like it sometimes.

Still, it’s hard to deny that something has changed.

Though perhaps none of this is new.

Here’s a question for you.

Have you ever been away from home for a few days and then, upon returning, been aware that you were mildly relieved to find everything as you left it? You know, as if a small part of you deep down inside had been worried the whole time you were away, alarm system or no alarm system.

Did people here experience that, say, 50 years ago?

Maybe. Could depend on the neighborhood.

But surely the slice of the pie chart devoted to concern about burglary has gotten bigger.

Whether you choose to cite a general erosion of society’s ability to recognize right from wrong in these matters or cling to some other explanation, the ratcheted up anxiety about crime takes a toll on those of us who consider ourselves among the good guys.

Ever talked to people in Spokane who have been victims of property crimes? None of them would suggest Tim Wink is paranoid to think being away from home can be risky.

Once upon a time, the social contract regarding living in Spokane held that what you gave up in terms of cultural attractions by not being in a bigger city you gained in security and safety.

You can decide for yourself whether that is now a quaint, dated notion.

My wife follows one of those online neighborhood watch blogs where concerned homeowners post reports of suspicious activities. One of her favorite categories of sightings to relay to me features sketchy strangers seen riding bicycles.

But I probably shouldn’t scoff. Chances are, the bicycle is stolen.

Unless, of course, that was me.