I’ve written on my blog about our house. It has the most amazing
stories to tell. The house was once anointed and blessed as the “Isaiah 58”
house by our now church home- that’s a good
story, too. It was used as a
transitional house for the local homeless, long before we were part of its history.
Side note: Our home is nearly 100 years old. I often wonder
how many families/individuals are a part of this house, in transition or not.
Also, how many families did this house survive before the Wests arrived? I surely
hope it survives us…
But I digress….
We realized quickly that it would become totally normal for
people to stop on our doorstep asking for a place to stay, believing that it is
still the Isaiah house (which it totally is, just in a spiritual way and not a
literal way. Well, kind of a literal way, but that’s for later. Okay, back to
the story…)
Anyway- there are potential “guests” regularly, any time of day
or night. Most folks just knock politely and thank us when they realize their
mistake. Occasionally someone argues. Or pleads. Because we are members of the
church, we can connect them with the ministers in charge of housing and try to
help.
The first time “Kyle” made his way to our yard was
mid-afternoon. Nathan was actually outside mid-conversation with a plumbing
company that was helping us out. Kyle was rather… aggressive. Verbally
antagonizing Nathan (in front of our sons. And our plumbers.) trying to start a
fight with no rhyme or reason. He was… not
in his right mind, as they say.
The second time, he had just come from the
dumpster behind the grocery store, with arms full of stale bread, when I
suppose he recognized Nathan, and decided to follow him all the way back to our
house. (Nathan had walked). He wasn’t particularly friendly this time either
and my husband was a little more stern about the inappropriateness of his
behavior. I guess Kyle agreed and maybe
felt guilty, because he returned later that night with some of the thrown out
Dunkin Donuts (also walking distance) and insisted we give them to the kids
with his apologies. It was 10:00PM and our children were asleep, but he begged
and begged for us to take the donuts. We did, told him we wished him well, and
gave him a paper plate of leftovers from our dinner. He cried on our porch for
several minutes before shuffling off and turning the corner.
Once of the scariest moments of my life happened a couple
days later.
Our dog, Walker, was on high alert in the boys’ room, staring out
the window before beginning a low growl.
A second later, I thought I heard
someone trying to open our back door, jiggling the door knob a little. I was home alone with Anna Gray and Walker
went nuts. I tried to discreetly look
out our bathroom window but didn’t see anything. Then someone in a friggin’ clown costume came running up the porch
and started banging on the front door!
Through the front window, I saw him take
off his mask, revealing himself as one of the garage guys across the street.
They had helped us several times when Walker got out and I told them later that
the absolute most terrifying part of this whole experience was a creepy clown
banging on my door!! Scared the 80s baby right out of me!
When I opened the door, he asked me if I realized that a man
was in our basement. Um…. Noooo?
He then asked if I wanted help getting him out. Um…. Yesssss?
Walker was still growling out the window- over the basement
door- so I ran over to watch. I could hear through the glass. The two guys from
across the street asked the man to come out. Then again. Then they told him to come out.
He finally did and I stared at the back of
his head while they told him to open his coat and drop everything he had taken.
We don’t keep much down there, its storage really. Holiday décor, our bikes,
bins full of whoknowswhat. He argued for a minute, but they pointed up to the
window and let him know that I was watching and ready to call the police. He
turned. Kyle. He faced them again and shook his coat open and the smallest
things fell out. He had found the bin
full of Christmas gifts, unwrapped but still in their packages (we put them
away to bring out a little at a time since the kids had plenty). Some unopened DVDs fell to the ground, Nintendo DS games…
things he could sell, I’m guessing. Then some hats, several pair of gloves, and
scarves. Sigh. Broke my heart. Of all the things he could steal from my house,
he chose hats, gloves, and scarves.
He eventually walked away and the garage guys brought me
everything that came out of his coat and strongly suggested I call the
police. After talking to Nathan – and
tidying my house (My word, I couldn’t be interviewed by police in a messy
house!), I called. I told them I didn’t want to press charges, just make a
report to have on record.
While waiting for the officers to arrive (but after cleaning
up), I watched to see where he went.
Which is when I realized he was peeing on
our fence.
Which is when he realized
that I realized he was peeing on our
fence and gave me an, ahem, extra special wave ‘hello from below’.
I was feeling a little less guilty about calling the cops at
this point.
The officers that came out knew who I was talking about
right away, but wouldn’t say until I picked him out of a line up- which I
did. The officer said if it had been
“Big T” or “Slim”, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but my children would be a
lot safer if Kyle was off the streets. I believed him, considering we had
witnessed his instability, and I agreed to testify in court (which I haven’t
actually had to do yet). During our conversation, Kyle yelled a few obscenities
at us from a street over and they were able to pick him up. I still felt
bad. He would have to stay in jail until
our court date, but at least I knew he had a bed to sleep in and food to eat.
After the officers left, I went to put the stuff up that he
had tried to take and saw the paper plate that we had given him our leftovers
on a few nights before. Lots of conflicting thoughts considering that
1) A person… Kyle… had spent probably more than one night in
our basement cold and hungry; and
2) A person… Kyle… had slept right underneath our children- after cursing them in our front yard-
without us knowing it.
Praying for Kyle.
*All names changed to protect identities.
**Garage Guy was wearing a clown costume to drum up business.
I don’t get it. It’s terrifying. Nice guy though.
*** I followed his case closely, advocated for rehabilitative
support for him when I could, and he since been released. He thanked me (?)
recently by showing up and dumping popcorn all over our front porch WHILE OUR
SOCIAL WORKER WAS HERE.
**** I freaking love my life.
