Smoky Mountain Colors

Saturday, July 22, 2006

It's left me in a weird state

You all know that I rarely post non-knitting stuff on here. But, because of this situation I want to share it with you all.

Thursday, I was sitting at the computer working when the kids and I heard a car slam their brakes on and skid. Then we heard a horn blowing and a woman screaming non stop in front of our house. My first thoughts were that someone had hit one of the dogs that run loose in the neighborhood. So I headed out the door. When I got about half down the driveway I could see through the trees a man beating a woman in the SUV. I immediately turned back to the house and had the kids call 911. When the guy saw me he took off running, tell me that the woman was "fuc**** crazy." That gave me enough time (and GT enough time) to get a good look at him. By the time I got down to the SUV, the woman, a 23 year old girl, came crawling out. She was beat pretty badly. Come to find out this was her husband and she had called the police several times on him in the past for the same thing. Well I waited till the police came, gave them my information, signed it, and watched while she agreed to press charges against him, and gave full description about him and the guys that he was with. Come to find out, that she was visiting her father who lives down on the other side of the subdivision, and her husband and these guys had followed her there and he wanted to talk to her and when she left, he got in the SUV with her. So while she was giving her info they called it in and had the guys picked up within minutes.

I don't know if you or someone you know has ever been stalked, but it's indescribable. It's like every bad horror movie you have ever seen wrapped up in one. I have been stalked and the confrontation with my stalker was similar to this, except I didn't let him get his hands on me, and he carried a gun with him at all times. In stead of hitting me, he had a loaded gun on me. At that time in spite of restraining orders, and all the legal things you can do, you know you just can't be protected until the dumbass does something physical to you. (now there are stalking laws that depending on how strick, will protect you. If you don't know your states stalking laws, find out, you may need them or another woman in your family might). Anyway, the situation Thursday, I may have kept that girl from getting hurt worse by coming out there and yelling back to the kids to call 911, but where were my other neighbors? I seen their curtains moving. NO ONE, came out to help this girl NO ONE. Ok, she hasn't made some great decisions in her life, (who the hell hasn't made a series of bad decisions and had to pay for them?)and she may be a nut case, BUT, that didn't give that guy any right to lay a hand on her. It's almost like their decision to stay in was approving of him hitting her. What are these people thinking?

So during all of this I was calm and able to think on my feet. About an hour later I fell apart. The "what if's" hit, what if he had a gun, what if this was gang related and I pissed him off to send someone back here, what if... what if... what if... Finally I got my act together enough to stop that crap, put it in perspective and kind of deal with it and everything it's brought up from my situation. I have to admit, I'm still a little nervous about going out the front door of my house, and when I have to drive by her father's house to leave the subdivision my stomach gets a little tight. There have been several lessons come out of this, but one of the big ones, is how your decisions effect people that you don't even know. It may not be immediately, but at some point a decision you make will. Let's hope it effects them in a good way.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

That scares me so much. Im so glad to hear you are safe and sound, and the girl you saved is alive!. Things like that happening is just so scary. I am one that would see something happening and step in to stop it. Then it occurs to you after the incident what may happen to you and your family. Im glad you stayed strong to help another. And that your safe and your family is safe. Sometimes I think neighbors tend to mind their own business on the most important matters and stick their noses in things that dont have any meaning.

God Bless.
Satori your the greatest! I hope the girl you helped realizes she had an angel watching out for her that day.

Cathy said...

Wow, that's quite an event. Good for you for having the courage to step outside and actually stop what was going on in your neighborhood.

Erin said...

I'm sorry you even had to go through all of that. What struck me was your comment about your neighbors and how no one came out to help. I'm not surprised. There's a name for it in psychology (though it's been so long, I can't remember) and basically it describes the same thing. People believe that someone else will "come to the rescue" so to speak. That they are not responsible because there are other people around. It's a sad thing when people won't even pick up the phone to call the police.

You did and that's a great thing.

Anonymous said...

Domestic violence is a terrible thing. Be proud of yourself and the example you set for your children by standing up and doing the right thing. I hope the nervousness you were feeling has been replaced with confidence in your personal strength!

Jackie said...

Shitshitshit! What a thing! I refer to your neighbours reactions as S.E.P.'s Somebody Else's Problem. I have to admit that I have suffered for that affliction myself, much to my disappointment. Mainly because of the "what if's" you mentioned. Never anything as serious as this though. Good for you for standing up and making noise!