For years, I noticed my neighbor’s peculiar routine—every day, like clockwork, he would arrive home in the middle of the day, stay for exactly 15 minutes, and then leave again. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but as time went on, my curiosity grew. What could he possibly be doing in such a short window of time? Was he checking on something? Grabbing a quick snack? The mystery nagged at me, but I never dared to investigate.
One day, nature called at the exact moment my neighbor pulled into his driveway. As I rushed to the bathroom, a thought struck me: maybe this was my chance. From my small bathroom window, I had a partial view of his house, though I’d never had a reason to look before. As I relieved myself, I casually glanced outside, half-expecting to see something mundane. But to my surprise, he wasn’t just running inside—he was meticulously scanning his surroundings before unlocking the door, as if making sure he wasn’t being watched.
Curiosity got the best of me, and over the next few days, I made a point to keep an eye on his midday visits. Each time, the pattern remained the same: a quick, cautious entry, 15 minutes inside, and then he was gone. My mind raced with possibilities. Was he hiding something? Meeting someone? The way he checked over his shoulder before disappearing inside made it seem like more than just a routine stop.
Eventually, I decided to casually bring it up in conversation. “I always see you swing by for a few minutes around lunchtime,” I mentioned, trying to sound casual. He chuckled and simply said, “Oh, that? It’s just my secret escape.” He never elaborated, and I didn’t press further, but the mystery lingered. Whatever he was doing in those 15 minutes, it was clearly something he valued enough to keep private. And maybe, just maybe, some secrets are best left unsolved.