I'm wondering if the example excuse from the woman outside that he gives is his artistic license to illustrate a point, or actually happened.

Taking out the garbage one night, I noticed a woman sitting in a sport-utility vehicle in front of my house. Her face was lit by the white glow of a laptop. Odd, I thought. I went up to her and tapped on her window and asked her what she was doing. She said she was waiting for her husband to return from walking the dog and that she lived in a house a couple of doors away.

I agree with you to a point -- that one should ask first. If it was a business that set up the wireless, then I'm more inclined to believe that they intend it to be used that way.