Home Alone

Case Study: Impromptu Party Crashed

My wife and I went to Montreal at the end of December. Our son who is a freshman in college was home for his Christmas break. I have 2 wilife cameras set up in the house and we are able to view a great deal of the entire first floor of our home. I purchased the system to monitor our house, as we travel quite frequently. Out of habit, I had the system on despite the fact that our 18 year old son was home. As luck, or fate would have it, our son decided to organize an impromptu get together of his childhood friends who are now also college freshman. Two of these kids practically spent all weekends at our home while they were in high school. There is one young man who is somewhat misguided. He has a great heart, but a propensity for finding trouble wherever it may exist. As such his encounters with our son tends to draw greater attention from us, his parents.
 
While on my laptop, in Montreal, in our hotel room connected to their DSL connection, I was spiritually moved to check the house. Why? Because it was late, TV was in french, I was bored, and quite frankly... I could. Initially, bringing up the images of the 2 cameras, my son and his two close friends were firmly ensconched in our family room watching a movie on the big screen. Working on other projects, I left the images up on the screen. Lucky for me, I was able to witness the arrival of the "troubled" friend with 4 of his friends and a young lady in tow. Conspicuously, each individual was clutching a bag. Cutting to the chase, the bags contained large quantities of alcohol, peculiar, seeing that they were all between 17 and 18 years of age. I woke my wife and showed her the activity. She responded with, "Thank God you set those things up in the house!" (She is not in to computers and cameras)
 
My wife called home and asked what was going on in the house? Our son replied with the "Oh, you know... we're just watching movies." She asked who was there and our son replied, "Just Bailey and Craig." My wife then went on to ask, Well, what is Chris doing there? Who are the three guys with Chris? Who is the girl? Why is she in the house with 7 guys? What's in the 3 bags that are on the counter? Our son was speechless. He did not know about the wilife system for it was purchased after he left for school. The kids were flat out busted! My wife called each of the parents (of the 3 boys). We watched as they answered their simultaneously ringing cell phones. One of the parents drove to our house, picked up their son and supervised the dismantling of the failed party effort.
 
I hate that this is the story I have to relate, but as I see it, the application of wilife is endless. In retrospect, in this specific case given the incidence of teenage drinking and driving, lives may have been saved that night.
 
Thanks for your time and attention,
 
Paul (and Gina) West