Malicious mischief — that is what the police report called the shattered car window I was seeing. Looking at the pieces scattered all around on the street and in my car’s backseat, I could only agree with the “malicious” part. I’d always considered “mischief” to be harmless and fun-loving. What I was seeing was neither.

Someone, who was bored or frustrated with life or for some other reason, decided to knock out one of my windows on the Friday night after Thanksgiving. My husband and I were awakened by a policeman at 4:30 on Saturday morning who saw it as he was driving down our street. And that person, or persons, didn’t just knock out the window, they used a pry bar on it as to make sure the car door was dented, the paint chipped and the inside trim pieces broken.

In other words, they did it up right. But that is all they did. They just knocked out the window. Now, in relating this story I have said many times what you’re all saying to yourselves right now, at least they didn’t take anything. I wasn’t robbed. I guess he or she or they didn’t know the car belonged to a certified public accountant and the only thing in my backseat was some material from some recent conferences I attended. Pretty boring stuff.

No, they didn’t rob me. But since I did have to spend $700 repairing the car door and window, who they actually robbed were the citizens of Natchez. That was money that wasn’t budgeted for that type of unexpected expense. Nor was it budgeted for my own Christmas.

At this time of year, many churches and other civic organizations sponsor families at Christmas. Families needing a helping hand to have a Christmas lunch, or pay their utilities, or put gifts under the Christmas tree for their children and other family members. I am a member of many such organizations and all have asked for their members to contribute.

So, to those that vandalized my car I say this: $700 could have gone a long way this Christmas season. Seven families could have gotten $100 gift cards for food from the Natchez Markets.

I know a couple of families had children wanting bikes. My money could have helped with that, or paid an elderly couple or young family’s gas bill next month when it gets so cold outside, or purchased supplies for the Guardian Shelter or Stewpot — organizations helping others. Or any number of things. And the people that money was going to help could have been your neighbors, your friends or your very own family.

So, no, I wasn’t robbed. But many in Natchez were.

Now, I will still contribute to these organizations as I’ve been asked to do. I just will not be able to do as much as I had planned. Because those vandals can’t rob me of my joy or steal my Christmas spirit.

I won’t let them.

Deanne Tanksley

Natchez resident