For over a year, my house has been the victim of hoodlum attacks from kids who think it's funny to throw eggs at our garage door and my car.
Cleaning eggs off of concrete is gross. The smell of raw egg that has splattered into our garage and baked is gross. Egg on a black car can leave 'car scars'. We've been lucky in that we have always been able to clean it up before any permanent damage was done...until now.
A month ago I caught the boys in the act, but they went to a neighbor's house where she protected them from the police. The next day the restraining orders and lies began to fly. There was a hearing, and more lies, but in the end-other than a tainted view of our local court system-no lasting harm was done. Well, unless you count the verbal abuse from the judge - causing my feelings to sting a bit. A complete stranger decided I have a filthy foul mouth and verbally assaulted a child. It still bothers me. (such tender "feelers" I have...) http://ow.ly/1rp9yW for more on the in court story
Anyway...
Roger celebrated his birthday last Saturday and our house was hit with egg again. Set to confront the neighbor, my daughter became argumentative about how we knew it was them.
One thing led to another, then came my daughter's stunning announcement. She said it was not the neighbors, and she knew this because she has been behind the egging. She had been the instigator inviting her vandal friends over to egg the house. She said she knows who the last set of boys/vandals were because she told the boys to do it. Why would our spoiled over- privileged child do such a thing? She smiled an evil smile and said it was because she knew it made her dad and I mad.
There was probably an hour of stunned silence while the events sunk in. Sisters were consulted (mine and Roger's) and a grim new plan was put in motion.
That day my daughter began her journey on the "My friends are more important than my family" lesson.
It happened like this: first there was the statement "My friends are more important than you!", followed by..."hey...what do you mean you aren't going to pay for my gymnastics anymore?!?" (three hundred a month plus time in the car to and from practice?!? I think NOT!)
Followed promptly by..."HEY...what do you mean you are taking back the iPod touch 4 that you bought me?!?" It was a birthday gift purchased right after the court hearing with the evil judge- where she had withheld the names of the boys we were trying to hold accountable (along with the parent who provided cover for the boys, and the eggs).
By the time the day was done, she lost her camera, two iPods, gymnastics, her brand new custom skateboard, cable tv in her room, her bedroom door, and the respect and trust of both of her parents.
She also lost about 2 thousand dollars from her savings account. The money will pay for a security system to surround our home. We shall call it "HannahCam".
Poor Hannah (NOT)!!
The whole thing took all the fun out of Halloween this year. I only half heartedly put up spider webs and I didn't even dress up. I LOVE Halloween, but this year I just kept thinking about the treacherous kid I have accidentally raised.
My sister volunteered to help me feel better by taking hannah's former belongings in a 'firesale' of sorts.
(Think craigs list on speed)
I gave sarah my 3rd generation touch iPod, and have "moved in" to the iPod 4 (which is wicked awesome!) but it may take awhile to stop thinking of the iPod as Hannah's-triggering the thought of why it is now mine instead of hers. :(
At school, Hannah **might** be beginning to realize that the sacrifices she made in order to protect her vandal BFFs may not have been worth it.
"Would they give up everything for you?"
That is the question I have asked her several times, and it may be starting to bounce around in her brain. She lost alot- it has been 5days and she still refuses to cough up their names.
Hannah and I have both begun the countdown to 18. Only 682 more days...
Labels: AZ, boys, eggs, Gilbert, Judge Dan Dodge, Tracy Lynn Cook, Vandalism
