Braving the biting cold last night on my way home from a class-required movie, I was joined by another girl from my dorm. I was immediately surprised that she was actually walking with me because for the past several weeks she has had her own golf cart to take her from one campus spot to the next. As she struggled with her crutches I asked her what had happened to the racy Club Car she used to drive.

"It was stolen," she replied, rather matter-of-factly.

Never before had I been subjected to the secret underworld of golf cart theft on the Notre Dame campus, and my response was utter disbelief. Why would someone steal a golf cart from a disabled person? In my mind, it was worse than taking candy from a baby. Here is this perfectly sweet girl who happened to hurt her leg during dorm football practice. After surgery and physical therapy, she really depended on the cart to take her around campus. I failed to find the thrill in stealing something that was so necessary.

When I asked her why the Office of Students With Disabilities did not grant her another Club Car, I was stunned yet again with her answer.

"Well, it had been stolen already once before, and I felt bad asking for another one, so I just decided to stick with my crutches," she pronounced.

Stolen once before??? Now my mind was really racing. The fact that her cart had been stolen twice meant that there was a real market on campus for these stolen rides. How could these thieves who are so severely lacking in morals have such a wide knowledge of golf cart mechanics? As I tried to figure out the logistics of the whole operation, my dormmate cut in again.

"I guess they thought it was a football player's cart," she suggested.

Yet another shock to my brain. First of all, I never even knew that football players had the luxury of golf carts, and secondly, why would someone want to steal a cart from one of Notre Dame's finest?? These thieves have mysterious motivations.

My confusion reached its limit. I didn't think anyone ever stole much from students here. Last year my bracelet and ring were taken from a locker in Rolfs, and supposedly an occasional bike is swiped from the racks, but the thought of students stealing golf carts seemed ridiculous. Where on this campus could you possibly park a stolen golf cart? There aren't many of them around, and those that I see are always triple chained. I can't think of any place on campus that could safely conceal an assailant's newly confiscated toy.

So, at this moment I am still confused, my dormmate still struggles with her crutches and some merciless thief still zips across campus on his stolen wheels.

The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

• Club Car tragedy