00:09 - 03.08.05
Trouble in Dodge City
Stepped outside this morning and was surprised to see it had rained just recently. It didn't feel much cooler, but that could have just been all the rushing around I did. Caught the bus on the main artery just 5 minutes before the one I usually take, but found I shaved a good 15 minutes off the commute. Just faster at sunrise, I guess. The bus and the train were still full, but everyone was in a quiet contemplative mood. I wouldn't have been surprised to hear gregorian or lamaistic chanting. Either would have worked well in those vehicles. Morning was very productive, but no stories as a result. Went out at noon to deliver my tax information to the banker, only to find a fairly vigorous rain shower underway. Made me happy, but I guess there were tornado warnings into the bargain. Didn't hear about those until I got home when they were just being lifted. Afternoon was just the morning in reverse really.
Got home a bit late because the second in command came by with a technical question just as I was getting ready to log out. Of course. Walked in through my back gate and up to the front door. The neighbour on the west side was working on his vehicle with a buddy. Come to think of it, he hasn't shown any signs of having a regular job, nor has his spouse. Up into the wee hours every night since moving in, but no movement at all in the morning except the sound of a jigsaw now and again. The verbal abuse began immediately I walked in the house. Raised voices and insults hurled by the occupant; sotto voce responses from the friend. When there was no response from me, the stereo speakers set outside were turned up full blast. What that neighbour doesn't realize is that the other neighbours have already been complaining about his loud music played outside all day and night. The verbal harangue really never ended, just fit into the pauses between songs. This guy really unnerves me. Reminds me of one of the voters we dealt with in the forensic psychiatric unit an election ago. Inability to control anger, hair trigger response and almost no impulse control. That has been the constant where this guy is concerned. Kevin I think he is. I warned my youngest not to respond at all, just act as though there is no one there.
Made supper and went to throw out some old shelves in my room then lie down, because I couldn't think clearly given the level of stress this guy causes me. I don't get intimidated very easily, but I do recognize someone barely in control of a violent nature when I see one. He is like the street people one sees, when you know they've been off their meds for a while. Worked in a hospital in rehab, remember. I've seen it more than a few times. I was just dozing off when I heard someone in the walk-in garbage bin out back. My guys won't be able to help me tear out the rest of the flooring and rugs until Friday, so it is still squishing one of my rose bushes and the raspberry patch too. Bummer. Lucky those particular plants are so resilient. They survive -30C so I guess that can be expected. Hardy.
Anyway, decided I'd better follow my own counsel and not respond to any provocation from this guy. I couldn't see him, being close to dusk, but I couldn't think of anyone else who would be inclined. I had left the balcony doors open just slightly to let in some cool air, so I returned to shut them when I realized I could hear the cats in my room running. Realized the balcony door was now much wider open and all the cats were cowering as far away from it, under different pieces of furniture, as they could get. No one on the balcony, but they couldn't be far gone. Called my youngest in to help me verify that all the cats were still there. There was one I couldn't account for. Just at that point, I heard the woman who used to live next door come running up to the front of the yard. I heard her call Kevin's name and then say - "You can't do that ...... get in the house now, we need to talk.....". It was dark by now. All of a sudden the music was turned right off, all the lights in their house went off at once, and it was as though the occupants were trying to hide the fact they were inside. Uh huh.
My youngest and I had some more stuff ready to put in the bin by then, so we carried on carting things out to the back yard bin after turning on our outside lights. Realized that the material already in the bin had been moved and appeared to have been sifted through. Right. At that point my youngest got really upset and allowed that one of the other cats had gone missing earlier in the day. One who doesn't like being outside. His feeling was that the neighbour must have somehow enticed him away. I tried to reassure him that likely wasn't the case, but it is hard to know really what the neighbour might do. Cleaned up around the yard, bagging the trash up for the regular city pickup. My youngest came back with the nozzle for the hose in his hand. He found it lying on the walkway on the neighbour's side of the fence. Maybe that was why he was digging around in the bin. We don't care if other peole scavenge the things we throw away, but taking our yard tools (does he have the lawn mower too?)and trying to open my balcony doors is something else again. Heard the male friend he'd been talking with, ask him why he had gone in our yard and he responded something about a broken bike. When the lawnmower disappeared, my son's bike did too. It was broken at that point in time. Maybe the neighbour was talking about something else entirely, but it is hard not to believe that the theft and vandalism we have been experiencing the past month are his actions. What next.
I don't like backing down from any bully, but how much risk do I want to take either. I'm getting to the point where I worry about what is happening at home when I'm at work, and then I feel afraid when I am at home, because of the continuous harassment when I return at the end of the day. I've asked the older boys to drop by more often and let themselves be seen by this guy, or failing that to send their friends by, so that this fellow realizes that there might be some level of accountability demanded of him if he goes any farther. I have been noting his behaviour in my posts dear diary, because at some point I might need that documentation to prove the pattern of his behaviour. Hope not, but I'm glad I have you to talk with. Maybe tomorrow will be better. Miracles do happen - right? I thought the old neighbours were bad enough. Now I understand why people say they prefer the devil they do know. It's getting hard to breathe in this room again, so I need to shut the window and leave I think. Good night for now.
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