Stalked: Legal Proceedings & Final Thoughts

When the court date came I was a wreck. I wasn't thrilled about being in the same room with him again. I felt stressed, like I was taking a big test I had no idea how to prepare for. I knew the best thing to do would be keep my mouth shut and only answer the questions I was asked. I printed call logs and emails and brought them with me. I sat in that courtroom listening to other people's horrible stories of assault, abuse and child neglect and I wanted to run away. I brought a friend for moral support. He brought six people.

The judge asked if he really called me "6-10 times a day"
He replied "Until she blocked my number."
"You called her 6-10 times a day everyday after she told you she didn't want to speak to you...until she blocked your number?"
"Yes! We had a connection! You don't understand."
"Um...you were only together a few weeks."
"It was an amazing connection."
"She told you she didn't want to speak to you"
"I know."
It just went on and on like that. It was almost funny. I sat mutely until I was asked direct questions. I can't imagine what that judge thought of me? What kind of person would invite that guy into her life? At one point she asked him a question and in the mother of all non-sequiturs he replied "I don't know if you noticed but she's disabled! I always respected that." Wow. What?!?

In the end the judge ordered that the protection order stay in place for another 30 days and added "I think it's best if you just stay away from each other." At which point he stammered "Do I have to register or something?!?" almost funny especially when you consider that he had worked as a legal secretary before pursuing music. I felt relieved that day, but I didn't stop worrying he might show up until I moved out of state.

Luckily for me, he was terrified of authority. After watching the Stalked TV show I learned that for a lot of people who engage in this kind of behavior their obsession trumps any fear of repercussions. I only spent a couple months being harassed and scared, but it felt like a lifetime.

Now technology allows you to block individual numbers from your cell phone, but like I said when he believed he couldn't call me he flooded my email and showed up instead. It was a terrible time for me. I came out of it stronger and healthier for having dealt with old issues in the process. It wasn't a set of mistakes I'd ever repeat. I don't think he wanted to control me, I think he truly believed I would find his insane behavior romantic. I think he liked the drama of the far more serious relationship he invented in his head. Who knows if he would have gone away quietly if I had rejected him after that first date...It doesn't matter though because I fully admit my mistake. You can't put yourself out there when you're in severe emotional distress like that. It was a bad call. Standing up for myself, however, was a great one.

Stalked: Escalation

I came home from work one day and he was standing on the sidewalk outside my building. I was afraid to get out of the car. When I did, tears welling in my eyes, I told him he should leave. He was obviously drunk, he'd ridden a bike over. He followed me up the sidewalk my heart was pounding. I calculated how in the hell I could get inside the gate and close it without him following. He kept begging me to listen and I kept walking (wishing I could run). I warned him I'd call the cops. He persisted and I dialed 9-1-1, fingers trembling.

He lunged forward with his arm out like he'd grab me but stopped short. It terrified me. Even drunk, there was no way I could over power him. I told the 9-1-1 operator I needed help because my ex won't leave me alone. I was told they'd send someone. I desperately wanted to be on the other side of the gate. Maybe hearing my call gave him a moment's pause, who knows? For some reason he stopped at the steps.

He stood watching me and yelling at me as I went through the security gate and into my apartment. He didn't leave. He stayed at the front steps yelling. My apartment had a large front window that faced the street so I could see and hear him. I called my nearest male friends in a panic.

My friends arrived after 5 terrible minutes and tried to persuade him to leave. He refused even though they reminded him the cops were on the way. I have no idea how long I waited but it felt like days standing at the window while he yelled. It had to be at least 20min and then all the sudden it was quiet. I was afraid to look out the window, but sure enough he was pedaling away. Not 20seconds later the police arrived. I remember that the bike disappeared around the corner and I hadn't even gotten "he's gone" out before the police car arrived.

I explained the situation. There was nothing they could do. He hadn't assaulted me or trespassed (even if he'd come close to both). They asked for a picture and I showed them one. They agreed that I was being harassed and recommended I get a personal protection order. They gave me their card in case he came back. I cried while I quickly grabbed some things and left. No way I was sleeping there. I'm sure my neighbors hated me anyway after all the screaming and the police showing up. I spent the night with friends.

In the morning I went to the courthouse. I got a temporary order of protection that said he had to stay away from me and my roommate. He wasn't supposed to call or write messages either. I remember going cold when she asked "does he have a gun." I hadn't seen one, but he had talked about a gun and going to the gun range some time.

The next step was to serve him with the papers without actually going near him. I remember that you could have a sheriff do it or one of your friends. Someone (probably one of his friends) asked that I not send a sheriff because of how it would look...I wanted to anyway, but it would have taken several more days. I needed it done right away. I dropped my friend off in front of a restaurant where he was eating with friends and drove around the block to wait for her. I asked how he reacted. She said he took it and asked "Why is she doing this?" to which she had replied "You should probably leave her alone" and then she left.

I left a copy of the protection order at my apartment at all times in case my room mate had to call the police and gave a copy to work (where I was trying to mend fences after missing days, being tired and distracted). Part of me was hopeful I wouldn't hear from him and part of me hoped he'd show up so I could call the police. If he were arrested I'd know. The protection order was only temporary we still had to go before a judge to get a permanent one. Not only did I have to apologize for my behavior at work and give them a copy of the order, I had to request the court date off.

I was still uncomfortable in my own apartment or anywhere he might find me.

Stalked: Inaction & Reaction

I dragged my feet about ending it (also not typical for me) for all the reasons 20-year-olds do: I needed a ride to the airport, he owed me money...etc and yes, I was also a little scared. At the time I couldn't quantify my fear though.

One day he called me while I was out with friends and I told him I'd meet up with him later. Maybe he was picking up on the fact that I was over the situation or maybe he was just bored, but by the time I saw him a few hours later he was in quite a state. He hurled such insulting accusations at me and I realized, that was the last straw. Ok, the last straw had been a while ago, but I couldn't put it off anymore. I told him that we were done. I said I didn't have any interest in being with someone who didn't trust or respect me. I told him to get out and he did.

I felt a thousand pounds lift from my shoulders and sucked all the oxygen in the room into my lungs for the first time in weeks. As I recall nothing else happened that night.

The next day the calls started...he called all day. When I answered and told him to stop, the calls increased in frequency. He filled my voice mail box. He sent me dozens of texts along the lines of "talk 2 me", "Y R U doin' this?", "where r u?", "who r u with?" etc. I remember always being slightly irritated by his lazy short hand texts, but when you receive twelve in a row they're super annoying. He started showing up outside my apartment at all hours (early in the morning when I was leaving for work, mid-day, late at night).

One day he saw me walking to my car with a male friend and he followed us shouting horrible things. It's unnerving to be shouted at, but profanity being hurled at you and an innocent bystander outside your own home is horrible. The next day he called me and I answered. He was drunk and screaming at me calling me a "slut", etc. The whole time I could hear his friend in the background trying to calm him down saying "you're scaring her, man" He was right it. It was scary. I had officially become afraid of what he would do next.

My friends were scared to visit me at my place. I didn't want to be there either, I stayed with friends as much as possible. At the time I didn't have the ability to block calls from a specific number, but I told him I had.

He showed up at my room mate's work and made a scene. I was afraid I'd loose my apartment over this, but I assured my room mate I'd do something. I was tired all the time, tensions were high between my room mate and I and I was getting in trouble at work. Not answering his calls and telling him I'd blocked him only made him inundate my email and myspace with messages. I couldn't think of any other ways to say "go away!" It was getting completely out of control.

I think part of me was still in shock. It didn't seem possible for an adult I only dated briefly to be reacting this way.

The Fear Factor

I'm not a wuss. I've got a pretty high pain tolerance. Please understand that if I admit that pain is so severe it's causing me fear I'm in bad shape. There aren't a lot of things I fear, but I'm afraid. For the past five days or so I've been having intense back pain between my shoulder blades. Yup, where they just surgically removed some metal. All I could think when the pain increased to a point where it was difficult to move today was "Oh God, not an infection." Post operative infections are indescribably painful. I had always hoped the one I suffered after abdominal surgery would be my first and last.

I pray I'm wrong. I hope I've just injured it some way. Either way the problem now is what to do now. The Emergency Room? Pass. Going back to Old Ortho? Oh. No. I've wracked my brain for an alternative, but there doesn't seem to be one. This CAN NOT HAPPEN. I don't deserve pain like this from a surgery so minor I wasn't even admitted! I shouldn't have to go back to Old Ortho ever again. God help me, I'm in tears writing this.

What if I have to be admitted for IV antibiotics? I have plans this week we're going out of town soon I need to keep them. What if he doesn't take me seriously? What if he tries to give me pain meds? I shredded the prescription they discharged me with. I've been hitting the Advil hard this past week. I want to know whats wrong not to be a doped up zombie, the level of functioning would be the same.

It had to be a holiday weekend so I can't do anything until Tuesday. This post is whiny and horrible and I apologize, but I'm not capable of complex thought. Sunshine tomorrow I promise.

When Kids Go MIA

Every parent has had one of those moments when their child terrifies them beyond the ability to take breath. When the whole world becomes an irrelevant haze around you and your stomach turns inside out. Human beings have the ability to frighten one another in general, but there isn't even a word for what children do to their parents.

A few months ago we loaded the whole family in the car and headed down to the splash pad. Normally, Riley and I go with our mommy group friends on weekday afternoons. This time it was a Saturday. Even though Riley and I were meeting a mommy group friend I felt I'd need Mike as backup since I was bringing Isaac too. It was hot and Mike was cranky about being roped into going along so the mood in the car was muted. Until we pulled up.

Isaac had never been to this park before. He was screaming with excitement at the splash pad and playground before him. Mike and I surveyed the huge crowds and felt less than excited. I'd always gone on quiet weekday afternoons before and I felt stupid for not considering how crowded it would be. Mike grumbled as he unhooked the baby. I was talking to Isaac as I climbed out of the passenger seat. By the time the baby was out of the car and I was upright Isaac was gone. I assumed he was just standing on the other side of the car at first. As Mike walked in a circle around the car and calling his name was ineffective the panic grew. The park wasn't in the best area and it was so crowded. I went numb with fear.

I have no idea how long we stood by my car searching the crowded playground and sputtered sentence fragments at each other: "He was wearing..." "I was just talking to.." "Where could he..." After what felt like eternity I spotted him running across a piece of playground equipment. By the time I pointed him out Mike was already at a full run towards the playground. I don't think I breathed until he buckled his seatbelt. My stomach was full of hot sandspurs and my hands were shaking. I was grateful not to have to drive home. Which is where we went immediately after that.

It was only a matter of time before Riley gave me the same kind of heart failure. Last night Mike came to bed after I was asleep and turned on Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I woke up to that horrible scene where the little kid goes through the doggie door and gets abducted by aliens. So, scary, but why does she let go? She clutches him to her chest all through the house and then she sits down on the kitchen floor and lets him go. Not a nice way to wake up.

Today the kids were playing out in our big beautiful fenced yard. Mike had run to Home Depot. He's adding the slide to the swing set this weekend. Isaac was hogging the big kid swing at first, but he decided to give Riley a turn and push her it was super sweet. I ran in for my camera, but by the time I got back with it the moment had passed. Later they got in the box the slide came in and were laughing like hyenas. After that they drew on the box with sidewalk chalk. I helped Riley find a yellow piece and she ran back to the box while I ducked inside for a minute.

I was coming back out when Isaac came to the back door. It had been 30ish seconds (long enough to pee) and I'd been watching through the window from the back bathroom. He wanted to come in so I told him to go get his sister. Very matter-of-factly he told me "I don't know where she is." He had smile on his face so I told him to stop teasing and get his sister. I adjusted my shoe and followed him out. He walked to the middle of the yard looked around and then turned to me and shrugged. Now, I started to worry.

The Earth rotated slower as I instructed him to double check the slide box. I checked the latch on the gate and both shed were locked. I called her name. Isaac thought this was amusing. I half expected her to be behind me giggling, but she was nowhere. I snapped at Isaac, "This isn't funny!" and instructed him to keep looking. I picked up my phone to call Mike. At that moment Isaac yelled "I found her, mom." She was sitting in the bike trailer which was facing away from us. I suspect she climbed in and couldn't figure out how to climb out. The neighbor was mowing so she made have answered my calls, but I wasn't able to hear her tiny voice.

I helped her out, hugged her and pressed send on my phone. Mike was a block away. When he got back Isaac breathlessly recounted the tale of the missing Riley. I gave Riley another hug and tagged Mike in for a round. I dry heaved in the bathroom before crying in the shower. Now they've each had a turn and I'm done being terrified in that way, right? Oh, I hope so.