Mommy Dearest
Yesterday, I was crudely awakened from my nap by a woman with a voice that sounded like two garbage cans being drunkenly banged together. She was yelling at a dog she was walking and seemed to be of the "Dogs Respond Well to Humiliation and Abuse" school of thought. While she irately commanded the dog to take a shit on my back lawn, I put on pants and a shirt with the intention of going downstairs and very politely asking this hideous troll to please STFU, kthx.
By the time I got down there, the she-beast (if woman she was) had left. The poor dog was likely too scared to take a poo, but I'm sure one night I'll discover some with my shoe, nonetheless.
Today, as I sat and typed away on some work for Elysium, I heard her again, shouting up a storm. Assuming she was berating another poor animal, I opened my blinds and prepared my statement to the ASPCA. As I looked out, however, I saw the poor "animal" which was the victim of her indignant behavior: a child. A young boy, no older than eight or so at the most. She yelled and yelled as two other boys clambered from their minivan and at one point, at no provocation from the boy, raised her hand and smacked him. Dejected, frightened, cowed, the three boys shuffled to the building behind and across the hill from mine. I assume this poor child was her son, but as the other boys were of a close age, it would strain credulity that all were her children. Three children exited the van and entered her building. I hope all of them leave it happily again.
I am going to be keeping a close eye and ear on this woman. It comes as no surprise that she parks her van behind my building instead of her own, since she has no respect for anyone's personal space, nor children's safety.
I cannot abide the violence and abuse some children likely endure on a daily basis, and accept as normal. My own parents brought my brothers and I up right, never taking a hand to us in anger. Although they did scare the shit out of us on occasion. I understand that some folks bring their kids up differently and more physical discipline is the norm. What I saw today, however, is unacceptable: a recurring example of one disturbing woman's lunacy taken out on small children and animals.
I hope all of you feel the same way that I do: that in this country many of the problems that plague us as a community (crime, frivolous lawsuits, a mentality of victimization, an economy in recession, dubious government officials, environmental decline) are the result of a lack of accountability. In the hustle and bustle of an over-populated world, our anonymity is secure, but our safety is not. We hide behind handles and pseudonyms in the hope that we may do and say as we like, and that there is no consequence. More than that, we have become xenophobes of the highest degree, too scared of each other to help each other.
So to anyone who has stopped to help someone change a tire, or left a note after hitting a parked car, or admitted guilt without hope of leniency as a matter of character, thank you. To anyone who keeps a watch on their community, and handles issues with diplomacy and tact, I raise my glass. To anyone who has forgiven someone out of compassion and humility, I applaud you. To those of you complacent in your apathy and snuggled under your illusions of safety, wake up. There are weird, weird people out there. Apparently, one of them lives behind me.
And to her I say this: You hit your kids again and you are going to jail. As nothing more than a concerned citizen I can make your life a living hell. And for all you know, I'm the god-damned Batman.
By the time I got down there, the she-beast (if woman she was) had left. The poor dog was likely too scared to take a poo, but I'm sure one night I'll discover some with my shoe, nonetheless.
Today, as I sat and typed away on some work for Elysium, I heard her again, shouting up a storm. Assuming she was berating another poor animal, I opened my blinds and prepared my statement to the ASPCA. As I looked out, however, I saw the poor "animal" which was the victim of her indignant behavior: a child. A young boy, no older than eight or so at the most. She yelled and yelled as two other boys clambered from their minivan and at one point, at no provocation from the boy, raised her hand and smacked him. Dejected, frightened, cowed, the three boys shuffled to the building behind and across the hill from mine. I assume this poor child was her son, but as the other boys were of a close age, it would strain credulity that all were her children. Three children exited the van and entered her building. I hope all of them leave it happily again.
I am going to be keeping a close eye and ear on this woman. It comes as no surprise that she parks her van behind my building instead of her own, since she has no respect for anyone's personal space, nor children's safety.
I cannot abide the violence and abuse some children likely endure on a daily basis, and accept as normal. My own parents brought my brothers and I up right, never taking a hand to us in anger. Although they did scare the shit out of us on occasion. I understand that some folks bring their kids up differently and more physical discipline is the norm. What I saw today, however, is unacceptable: a recurring example of one disturbing woman's lunacy taken out on small children and animals.
I hope all of you feel the same way that I do: that in this country many of the problems that plague us as a community (crime, frivolous lawsuits, a mentality of victimization, an economy in recession, dubious government officials, environmental decline) are the result of a lack of accountability. In the hustle and bustle of an over-populated world, our anonymity is secure, but our safety is not. We hide behind handles and pseudonyms in the hope that we may do and say as we like, and that there is no consequence. More than that, we have become xenophobes of the highest degree, too scared of each other to help each other.
So to anyone who has stopped to help someone change a tire, or left a note after hitting a parked car, or admitted guilt without hope of leniency as a matter of character, thank you. To anyone who keeps a watch on their community, and handles issues with diplomacy and tact, I raise my glass. To anyone who has forgiven someone out of compassion and humility, I applaud you. To those of you complacent in your apathy and snuggled under your illusions of safety, wake up. There are weird, weird people out there. Apparently, one of them lives behind me.
And to her I say this: You hit your kids again and you are going to jail. As nothing more than a concerned citizen I can make your life a living hell. And for all you know, I'm the god-damned Batman.