Diary of Tough Love

Chats with her "best friend" and The Police

2005-09-01T03:38:00.000-07:00

Friday- Aug. 26, 2005- Chelsea called Zack again about needing money but he declined to give her any. At 6PM, Jim was delivering pizzas and had to drive past Logan's house. There he noticed Chelsea and Logan talking to an older boy (approx. 18 yrs old) outside of Logan's house. The vehicle was a white Mustang with stripes, ME Lic, 363 MT. After his delivery, he drove past again on his way back to the pizza place. A few moments later, his cell phone rang and it was Chelsea who demanded in a snotty tone of voice, "What's YOUR problem? Gotta keep driving by and stare at me?! Checking up on me?" Jim replied, "If it's any of your business, I am delivering tonite!" and he hung up on her.

At 8:00PM, Tammy called my cell phone. She said that Chelsea and Logan had gone to the movies. I asked who the boy was that they were talking to. His name is Andy and he is the one that took them to the movies. He is also 19 years old. His interest is in Logan. Not happy with the idea of Chelsea being out with a 19 year old. I also told Tammy that Chelsea had called Jim about driving by. She was not aware that Chelsea had called. I told her that as long as Chelsea is disrespectful like that to Jim and/or I, she was not welcome home.

Sunday, Aug 28, 2005 -- Chelsea called the house crying at least two times around 2:30 PM. The messages she left on the answering machine were, "hello? Pick up. Hello? Pick up?" She was obviously crying. Finally, Zack answered the phone and she asked if I was home. She wanted to talk to me. At 2:45, she called the payphone at my work and then my cell phone at least three times but did not leave a message. I finally picked it up. She sounded like she had been crying and said, "I have a question... can I hang out with Andrew?" I said, "The NINETEEN year old?" She said, "He's 18." I pressed again, "I thought he was 19" She said, "No, that's Ryan and I don't talk to him anymore." I asked where she was calling from and she said she was calling from Logan's. I then said, "Why are you asking me? (if you can hang out with Andrew) I'm not your mother anymore so I really can't say." She seemed cheerier as she said, "Okay. Thanks!" and she hung up. I then called Jim and told him about the conversation. I immediately determined that "hang out" translated to "move in" (with).

When I got out of work, I called Jim to place an order for food. He said, "We've got problems...we'll talk when you get here." When I arrived at the House of Pizza, he told me that Tammy and Logan had been in and that Chelsea wasn't staying with them anymore. Apparently, she is trying to move in with this 19 year old Andrew (the same one that took them to the movies). He gave me a slip of paper with his name (Andrew Daigle), address and phone numbers on it. The address is on Allen Street where Heather Sidebotham also lives. (Not in the same house).

Logan had left a message on the answering machine, "Hi, this is Logan. Renee, PLEEEASE call me back right away!" I called Logan and she said that Chelsea had left their house because Tammy wouldn't allow the girls to hang out with Andrew anymore. Chelsea didn't like THAT rule so she decided to leave Logan's house so that she could "hang out" with Andrew (because he had "asked her out" the day before). She had called Andrew and asked if she could stay there (with him) and he said he didn't think so because his parents wouldn't allow it. She told Andrew that Tammy had thrown her out. Logan said that Chelsea had called from Heather Sidebotham's house. (the caller ID said, "St. Laurent" though) Logan said that she (Logan) had called Andrew and told him that Chelsea was only 15. He said, "She said she was 16, turning 17 in October" and Logan said, "She LIED!" She then told Andrew that if she found out he had been around Chelsea or had even spoken to her, she would call the police herself. He said he was "okay" with that and wouldn't have anything to do with Chelsea.

I spoke to Tammy who confirmed all that happened. She said she didn't throw Chelsea out, Chelsea left while Tammy was at work. She said that Chelsea had left her clothes (a plastic grocery bag of them) at her house. I told Tammy to bag it up, I would be over to pick up the clothes. So, now Chelsea has only the clothes she was wearing when she walked out Logan's door. Logan said that Chelsea was very angry when she left and had also said, "I wish I had the courage to kill myself!"

Logan stated that Chelsea said that HEATHER said that Andrew told her (Heather) that he liked Chelsea (but not "like that") and that he only wanted to get laid. Chelsea told Logan that she was going down to Andrew's to talk to him. (as if he would ADMIT he only wanted to get laid). Logan said that he had his hands all over Chelsea at the movies but that Chelsea resisted and "wouldn't even make out with him".

Logan said that Chelsea had been in contact with Ryan (Cote) (Chelsea told me she hadn't) and Chenard (works at Hannaford) and Allen McKay. Logan confirmed that Chelsea had lied about her age to Andrew and she said Chelsea had met Andrew through Jamie Lantagne.

Logan said that Chelsea didn't' plan to go to school when it started and that Chelsea had said, "I knew I wasn't going to go back to school when I left (my house) on Tuesday".

Logan thinks that Chelsea may be staying with Heather Sidebotham or maybe Kate who used to live down the street from us but now lives near Logan. Kate and Chelsea frequently fought off and on but Chelsea "made friends with" Kate again (so that she has someplace else to stay). She might also stay with Ashley Howard although she hasn't spoken to Ashley all summer.

Monday, August 29, 2005 - Logan called to say that she thought Chelsea had spent the night at Andrew's. She said that Chelsea kept initiating "instant message chats" with Logan. Logan began saving the IM chats and copy/pasting them into an email and mailing them to me (at my requesti). Chelsea is "MunkyBizsness420" and is BOLD.

MunkyBizness420: why were u signed on as me?
Sexy Kitten0842: hello
Sexy Kitten0842: chelsea
Sexy Kitten0842: ?
Sexy Kitten0842: do u want logan?
MunkyBizness420: why were u signed on as me, and then u signed off.... LEAVE ME ALON
MunkyBizness420: *ALONE
Sexy Kitten0842: ok
Sexy Kitten0842: whats wrong
Sexy Kitten0842: its amanda (Logan was pretending to be her sister Amanda because she knew that Chelsea wouldn't speak to her if she knew it was Logan) MunkyBizness420: U were signing off and on as me.... KNOCK IT OFF
Sexy Kitten0842: sorry
MunkyBizness420: i honestly dont want to talk to U or LOGAN
Sexy Kitten0842: r u ok
Sexy Kitten0842: what did logan do now?
MunkyBizness420: threatened my b/f!!! just leave me alone
Sexy Kitten0842: how?
Sexy Kitten0842: well i'll leave u alone but r u coming back to get ur cloths?
Sexy Kitten0842: they're still in logans room (she was lying about the clothes... I had them but was trying to coax Chelsea back)
MunkyBizness420: i dotn wanna be near logan for a while... she told andrew she would call the cops on him if she saw me with him... so...
MunkyBizness420 signed off at 12:23:43 PM.
MunkyBizness420: plus, ur mom, doesnt understand that i do NOT want anything to do with my MOM., and MY mom wants NOTHING to do with me!!!
Sexy Kitten0842: ok
Sexy Kitten0842: r u and logan fight?
MunkyBizness420: No, i just wish she wouldnt threaten my b/f, and i lost a place to live just tobe with him, and for him to tell me that he doesnt appreciate logan threatening him!
MunkyBizness420 signed off at 12:31:00 PM.

THEN:
MunkyBizness420: wheres logan?
Sexy Kitten0842: ummm i think shes outside
MunkyBizness420: ohhhh shes allowed to go outside
Sexy Kitten0842: no shes getting the mail
MunkyBizness420: o
Sexy Kitten0842: do u want to talk to her?
MunkyBizness420: sure
Sexy Kitten0842: 1sec
Sexy Kitten0842: hello
MunkyBizness420: why would u say that to andrew, that would be like threatening u and Kyle... that was really fucked upSexy Kitten0842: im sorry i was pissed off and im trying to say sorry to him but i losed his #
MunkyBizness420: i dont believe u, i think ur jealous....
MunkyBizness420: u could seriously get him in alot of trouble cuz hes 19!
Sexy Kitten0842: i know im not jealous im pissed off because i feel that im losing you
Sexy Kitten0842: him extremly happy that you found someone
Sexy Kitten0842: im*
MunkyBizness420: well, if i could do what I WANTED and NEEDED, u wouldnt be "losing me"
Sexy Kitten0842: now u r doing what u want and need right u r seeing andrew isnt that what u need and want
MunkyBizness420: no, i want a place to LIVE.... I cant have both, i had to choose
Sexy Kitten0842: what r u choosing or did u choose already
Sexy Kitten0842: u cant still come live with us
MunkyBizness420: no i cant, because i wanna be with andrew
MunkyBizness420: and ur mom DOES NOT UNDERSTAND ME!!! i dont want anything to do with my mom, and she doesnt want anything to do with me.... BUTTTTTT OOOOHHHHH FFFFFFUUUCCCCCKKKKINGGGGG NOOOOOOO, ur mom has to talk to my mom!!! how freaking annoying, i dont live with her anymore, her opinion on my decisions doesnt count
Sexy Kitten0842: but i cant control what my mom does
MunkyBizness420: well thats why i left, i want to be able to see andrew.... i dont like peopel telling me who i can date and who icant
Sexy Kitten0842: ok
Sexy Kitten0842: where did u go last night?
Sexy Kitten0842: i was really worried about u
MunkyBizness420: none of ur business, thats the last thing i would do is tell u where i am
MunkyBizness420: u would tell ur mum, and ur mom would get all up in business
MunkyBizness420: AGAIN!!!
Sexy Kitten0842: ok its none of my buisness
Sexy Kitten0842: r u coming o get ur stuff?
Sexy Kitten0842: to*
MunkyBizness420: i dunno
MunkyBizness420: depends
MunkyBizness420: when does ur mum get home?
Sexy Kitten0842: umm 4:00
MunkyBizness420: really?
Sexy Kitten0842: yes really

----------------------------
And then...
MunkyBizness420: yeah, jsut chosing not to talak, im sooooooo incredibly pisseda t u
Sexy Kitten0842: well im sorry
Sexy Kitten0842: what else can i say besides sorry
MunkyBizness420: i dunno logan... should have thought about that before u said that... i thought u were a TRUE FRIEND... u would be doing the same if i did that to u and Kyle
Sexy Kitten0842: but there is no me and kyle
Sexy Kitten0842: and i said i was sorry and i wouldnt care if you said or threatned me and kyle if there was a me and kyle
MunkyBizness420: If there was, loga, u know what i mean
MunkyBizness420: hell u wouldnt.... ur lying tome logan, im not a dumb as i look, u would be livid if i said that to kyle... DONTLIE
Sexy Kitten0842: i wouldnt care i dont care
Sexy Kitten0842: i said i was sorry what more do you want
Sexy Kitten0842: im only human i make mistakes too
Sexy Kitten0842: i guess u dont care
MunkyBizness420: NO I DONT CARE!!!! and i dont know why im ur friend, i dont know what i ever saw in you I HATE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BBBBBBBBBBBBIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHH
MunkyBizness420: and i would come back but ur mum, pisses me off by talking to my mum
MunkyBizness420 signed off at 1:23:06 PM.

I was in contact with Logan several times throughout the day. At 3:00 PM, we called Sanford PD to report Chelsea as a runaway because we didn't know where she was.

At 8:00 PM, Sanford PD brought Chelsea home from Patty Kidder's house where she had spent the previous night. Patty Kidder came along to find out "our side" of it. Chelsea was already bawling when the officer escorted her into the house and she kept saying, "I don't want to be here! I don't want to be HEEEERE!" and she kept asking if she could go back to "Aunt Patty's". She had dropped to her knees and started yelling, "Get away from me! Stay away from me! I don't want to be here!!!"

Patty and I had stepped outside to talk and Chelsea was inside the house, SCREAMING at Jim, throwing things and herself around. THe officer had already departed. When I was watching her through the window (while she was screaming at Jim, "Don't TAAAAAAAALK to MEEEEEE!") , she saw me and screamed, "DON'T LOOK AT ME!!!" I was trying to tell Patty about all the things that had happened recently while Chelsea was inside screaming, then she came outside and screamed at me/us. And she begged to go back to Patty's. She was REALLY angry that her room was now down in the basement. She repeatedly said, "I don't want to be here! You say I am stupid but YOU'RE the stupid one because you don't realize that I don't want to BE HERE!"

Patty kept telling her to settle down and asked if she wanted to go back to her house but then Chelsea wouldn't answer. I told Patty, "You know why she doesn't want to go with you? Because now YOU know the truth!" She had also told Patty that she had already turned 16. Another lie. She (and Becky and Lindsey) told Patty that I knew where she (Chelsea) was and that we had thrown her out. I showed Patty the letter that Chelsea had written bidding us farewell.

Chelsea finally left, storming off into the neighborhood and saying that she was going back to Logan's. (?!)

After about an hour of conversation and having given up on Chelsea, I told Patty that I was done and going to bed. She said she would go look for Chelsea. I said, "That's fine with me. Tell her that I don't care where she is as long as I know! If I don't know where she is, I HAVE to report her as a runaway. If she doesn't want the police picking her up, I have to know where she is." Patty asked if she could get some of Chelsea's clothes and I said, "NOPE! If she doesn't LIVE here, I don't have to provide for her. I heard that churches are good for that sort of thing. And if she collects enough cans and bottles, she can get some nice clothes at Goodwill!"

Logan called to tell me that Chelsea had just showed up at her door asking for her stuff (clothes) back but Logan told her that I had it. Chelsea told Logan, "They're putting me in a FOSTER HOME now!" and she stormed off. Logan said that Chelsea was walking toward Pleasant Street on River St. I drew a map for Patty indicating the approximate location of Chelsea so that Patty could pick her up and take her to HER house since that's what both of them seemed to want.

Patty left but returned at about 45 minutes later, around 10:30 PM, to say that Chelsea was on her way back home. After half an hour, Chelsea still hadn't arrived here again (although we doubted she would anyway). We locked all the doors, turned out the lights, and I went to bed. Jim stayed up. He was buckling and wanted to let her in IF she did come home. I told him, "To HELL with that! She isn't going to scream at you like that, storm out, run away AGAIN and then come tromping back in the door!"

At 12:30 AM (that's half an hour after midnight), Patty called my cell phone. She said, "I just wanted you to know that Chelsea is at my house again. She said she was going back home but I waited for her on the other side of the bridge. When she didn't show up on the other side of the bridge, I went looking for her again. She was at my house; had just gotten here." I said, "Okay, thanks. Good luck!" and I hung up and went back to sleep.

Chelsea had two opportunities to work this out last night but she refused to speak to us. Instead she screamed, ranted, raged and carried on as usual. She screamed repeatedly that she didn't' want to be here, she repeatedly screamed and screeched at Jim to "shut up" and "don't talk to me".

I totally give up. She was pissed that her stuff was in the basement and that she no longer had a room upstairs. She said, "I don't even have a BED! Patty's not even my mother but at least SHE gives me a bed to sleep on!" There IS a bed down there... the one that Zack has been sleeping on.

On it goes

2005-09-01T03:37:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, Aug, 24, 2005-- Logan called me at work and asked if Chelsea could go to the house and get her clothes. I said, “Yep. WHEN I get home.” On the way home, I went to WalMart and purchased pine shavings and food for her rabbit, guinea pig and rat.

When I got home at 4:30, I immediately began working on a “Visitation” agreement for the dog. It was an agreement that we would both sign agreeing to when and under what circumstances she could visit Jack or take him for a walk. While I was still working on it, at approximately 5 PM, Chelsea just came walking thru the side door of my house. Logan was with her but stayed outside. Chelsea didn’t say a word to me. She went upstairs to her room. I asked what she was doing; if she was getting her clothes. She said she was. She threw a few items into a grocery bag and then walked out the door. I asked what she was doing with Jack and she said, “I don’t know.” I told her that I had a paper for her to read and sign (by then she was outside in the side yard again). She said she wasn’t interested. I told her it was about Jack and about visiting him and she said, “Then I’ll take him WITH me!” I said, “Oh, no you won’t.” and I shut the door and locked it. She began kicking the door and yelling obscenities. I ignored her but then I heard a banging sound as if she was throwing something at my camper. I opened the side door to see her heave a HUGE rock at the trailer and yell, “WHORE!” I responded with “Bitch!” She said, “Oh, like I care! You aren’t my mother anymore!” I said, “Then don’t in MY house again!” She responded, “I’ll do whatever I want!” I told her if she came in again, I’d have her arrested for trespassing.

I then went upstairs and cleaned her room OUT. I started with the guinea pig and rabbit cage. The rabbit was very sick and lying in urine saturated pine shavings. There was no water in the bottle. I cleaned the cage completely (and washed it). I then bathed the poor rabbit, fed him and filled the water bottle. He was fairly unresponsive. I packed up ALL of Chelsea’s belongings, cleaned and scrubbed the room.

I called Tammy (Logan’s mother) to tell her to tell Chelsea that after her scene again today, NOT to come over again. She will not get her clothes or “her” dog or anything else from MY house.

Tammy called me back and I told her what had happened. I told her that I was trying to work with Chelsea about Jack... that I wanted Chelsea to understand that she could not just come and go out of MY house if she doesn’t live here but that I was trying to make an agreement about seeing the dog.

Tammy said that Chelsea could stay with her as long as she wasn’t a problem. I told her that Chelsea was NOT allowed in or at my house and that when/if she got kicked out of Tammy’s house, we might turn her over to the state.

Thursday, Aug. 25, 2005-- The rabbit died overnight... presumably from lack of food, water, and filthy living conditions. Sad. Very sad. Chelsea will blame ME or accuse me of killing it. She didn’t tell me they were out of food and needed shavings.

Chelsea called Zachary this night to ask him for money "for food". She said there is no food at Logan's house and that there are five kids there. Zack said he would "see what I can do" the following day although had no intention of giving her any money.

2005-08-23T02:49:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2005- When I came home from work, Jim was already home. He said he didn’t know where Chelsea was and he indicated a note on the floor. The note read: "Don't waste you precious, valuable, time looking for Jack and I. it will just be a WASTE of your TIME!!" The other side of the note read: (My personal comments italicized.)

Whoever-
I know you are tired of me, and you can't stand to be around me. I know I make all of your lives miserable and with all that said I'm writing this to tell you good-bye. I don't want to continue to put you through hell. You took all my stuff because I said that you and dad were freaks. (No, I cleaned out her room because we "don't DO anything" for her. She doesn't NEED everything she has. By law, all she has to have is a roof over her head and clothes and food. So, let's give her JUST THAT so that she can see what she DID have) How pathetic! (Pathetic that she has the audacity to call us "freaks") Why couldn't you and dad just let me be alone in my room? You didn't have to talk to me at that exact moment. (When Jim called her down to talk to us, her repeated response was, "No, I'm fine" and she refused to come down. For some reason, she thinks that SHE can make the rules around here. She thinks that she can refuse to come down and talk to us after she has caused this kind of upheaval. THAT is the other reason I cleaned out her room. She does NOT make the rules around here.) I don't appreciate you calling me stupid (I called her stupid when I said, "STUPID! All you had to do was put your contacts IN and we could have gone to the eye appointment!".... this after she threw her contact case on my desk and said, "Here, take these TOO!". This followed me taking her cell phone but BEFORE the cleaning out of the bedroom. So, since she threw her contacts on my desk and TOLD me to take them, I DID and THAT pissed her off! I always tell the kids to watch what they say!)or bitch. ( I called her a bitch when, during our talk with her and Zack, she chimed in and started SCREAMING about something. I dont' even remember what but it pissed me off and I told her to "shut up, bitch". Okay, maybe that wasn't right but you know what? After 13 YEARS of her mouth, I've had it!!) I am not stupid but yeah, I can be a bitch but shut up; you don' t need to call me that! Big freaking deal that I went to summer school @ least I got a chance to make it up. (THAT came up after she was telling Jim how STUPID he is... so stupid that he has to work at a PIZZA place; either him or I said, "Whose stupid? Who went to summer school?") And how the hell can you tell me (and Zack) that we won't amount to anything. (Didn't say that!) I thought you couldn't predict the future! And why is dad complaining about working 2 jobs, for just us kids. (He wasn't complaining. He was EXPLAINING that he works two jobs so that they can have all these things that they want and have) That is not our fault, we didn't choose to come into this world!
I don't know when I (and Jack) will be back. Maybe I will get raped and killed! (My favorite line of the whole letter! What a DUMB thing to say!!) Wouldn't you like that!!! I will not be at Logans, Lindsays, or any of my friends houses. (She was at Logan's) I love you and see you whenever.
Chelsea ( Jack is with me he loves me no matter what)

And so, I didn’t go looking for her. I heard though that she had walked to Shaughnessy’s dogs for four hours. Logan’s mother called me at 8:00 PM to tell me that Chelsea and Jack had been hanging around her place all day and she couldn’t keep Jack. I told Tammy that Chelsea could make arrangements with me to take care of Jack. I explained to Tammy what had happened and told her that Chelsea was not welcome home that night and that Chelsea could NOT come to the house unless Jim and/or I were home.

At 8:30 PM, Chelsea called my cell phone and asked for her contacts. I told her she shouldnt’ have broken her glasses. The arm is bent, the frame is bent, and one of the lenses is missing. I told her I would drop the contacts off at Logans in a few minutes. She was waiting for me out front of Logan’s. I told her that she was in big trouble, that when those contacts ripped or wore out, she was screwed because I was not buying any more. I asked what she was doing with Jack and she said, “He can stay here.” I said, “No, only for tonite.” I told her I would take care of him as I always have...*I* feed him when she forgets. I take him out, let him in, etc. She said I would take him to the shelter. I handed her her contacts and she spun around and walked off without a “thanks” or anything. I called her back to the car and said, “You know what? Do NOT come home.” I refuse to be treated like that by a selfish, self-centered 15 year old girl.

A Long Night

2005-08-22T02:46:00.000-07:00

Monday, Aug. 22, 2005-- Chelsea called me at work and asked who was going to take her to her eye appoinment. I told her I would. She then asked where her contacts were and told her I had them. She became VERY angry and said, “Well, I can’t even GO to the appointment now! Why did you TAKE my things?!” I told her that all she had to do was put her contacts IN and I didnt TAKE her things, she GAVE them to me. She hung up on me. She then left a message on my voicemail, “Don’t BOTHER rushing home for my appointment! I can’t GO without my contacts! WhatEVER! GRRRRRRRRRRR...” and she hung up. When I came home, she stormed down the stairs, then back up. I asked if she wanted to go to the appoointment or not. She started screaming how she COULDN’T go because the contacts had to be in for FIVE hours prior to the appointment (that’s a lie). So, we didn’t go.

Jim and I talked for a few minutes and decided to have a talk with her and Zack. When Jim called her down to talk to us, her response was, “No, thanks. I’m fine.” He repeatedly asked and told her to come downstairs so that we could talk and she flatly refused... as if our requests and demands are optional. By then, I had decided that since SHE could act so disrespectful and rude, she didn’t NEED ANYTHING she had in her room. When she finally came downstairs, I carried boxes up the stairs and packed up most of her belongings. The intention was to show her just how much she DID have.

Meanwhile, downstairs, she was screaming at her father how STUPID he was... how he couldn’t even read, do math, or spell without asking ME. When I finished packing her belongings and had moved them to my room, I came downstairs and tried to talk to them (her and Zack) amid her screaming and accusations. When I was talking to Zachary about HIS attitude, she chimed in screaming some rude comment. By then I was so angry that I told her to “shut up, bitch!” SHe continued her diatribe about how stupid we are and mean and cruel. When she said that we were stupid, I said, “Okay, Miss-I-Went-To-Summer-School...” and she screeched, “So what?! I WANTED to go! And if YOU had an education, you’d be doing something more than wiping old people’s butts all day and YOU wouldn’t be making PIZZA’S at night! If you had educations, you’d have REAL jobs and be DOCTOR’S and LAWYERS!” At that point, I threw my plastic cup of iced tea and yelled that I was leaving and not coming home.

I left the house. I went to work for a couple of hours and then I drove around town.

At 10:30 that night, Jim called and said HE was leaving because she was out of control. I returned home shortly thereafter and she was still screaming and causing a scene. She said, “I’M LEAVING!” and she stormed out the door. I immediately locked the doors and turned off the porch lights. She immediately began screaming more, kicking and pounding on the door, ringing the doorbell. I opened the door and said, “May I help you?” She said she wanted her sweatshirt. I let her in and she smirked, “HA! THANKS for letting me in!” I told her to go out to the camper and turn off the light she had left on. She did but came right back in.

Eventually, we all went to bed. In the morning I went to work as did Jim.

What started it All

2005-08-20T14:41:00.000-07:00

Working 32 hours of overtime allowed Chelsea to get contact lenses for the initial sum of $199.00. She also received a cell phone from Unicel, as well as being enrolled in driver's education at Flanagan's. I had only paid the $50 deposit and was continuing to work overtime so that by the end of August, the balance of $350 could be paid so that she could get her learner's permit. I also took her school clothes shopping at Fashion Bug and picked up a few items at Wal*Mart.

All this was done so that she could have a fresh start at school with contacts, a permit, a cell phone. I wanted her to "feel good" about herself as I recall how awkward 15 years old was.

A drawer in my bedroom had a large sum of loose change. It was spare change from my pockets. I had opened the drawer and noticed that most of it was gone and I especially had noted that ALL the quarters were gone. I placed TWO quarters in drawer as a "set up". The next evening, I checked and the quarters were gone. Chelsea admitted to taking them as well as "some" money previously. I thanked her for telling me the truth and also told her she had no business taking money from me, going INTO my room, and going thru my things.

The following night, a lock was placed on the outside of the bedroom door.

Saturday, Aug. 20, 2004-- My day off. At approx. 1:00 PM, I took Chelsea and Logan Gruette to Wells, then to York, Maine and then to Newington, NH. We didn't return home until 8:00 PM. Chelsea and Logan commented it was "good to get out of town". That's exactly what it was... a nice time to get out of town, see something different, etc. Sometime in the course of the evening, Chelsea commented that she and Logan planned on going to FunTown the next day (Sunday). However, she didn't specifically ASK me if I would take her but (I was informed that) I implied that I would. Logan spent the night.

Sunday, Aug, 21, 2004- When I awakened, it was wet outside from light rain overnight. The Weather Channel said that we had 60% chance of thunderstorms. Channel 6 news said the same thing. It would be warm with a 50%-60% chance of scattered storms. When the girls finally woke up between 9-9:30 AM, it was still overcast. I told them that it wasn't a good idea to go to FunTown because it was supposed to rain. The girls elected to go to the movies at Smitty's instead. However, Chelsea was angry that I wouldn't take them to a see an R-rated movie. Neither girl is old enough to see an R-rated movie without an adult sitting with them. I refused to spend my day off in a movie theater. Chelsea suggested I lie and "tell them" I would be attending the movie with them but that would have meant buying a ticket for myself. I told her I wouldn't do that, either. Very angry, she settled for a PG-13 movie. I drove both girls to the movies and told them to call when it was over. Chelsea said she and Logan would probably go to some of the stores after the movie. At approx. 2:00 PM, Chelsea called me and said the movie was over. As I was getting ready to leave to pick them up, Nicholas needed a ride to a friend's house. I took him there first, on my way. I got out of my vehicle to speak to Nick's friend's mother for a couple of minutes and look over her "moving sale". When I got back to my car, Chelsea had a left a rude message on my cell phone voice mail. "I THOUGHT you were coming to get us! We NEED a ride! I called the house, too. Well, THANKS!" I called her back and told her I was on my way. I was very angry at the tone of voice on the voice mail. When I arrived and the girls got in the car, I said nothing to them.

I dropped Logan off at home. Her mother, Tammy's car was in the driveway.

When Chelsea and I got home, she asked if I would take her and Logan to FunTown now. I told her no. I explained that it was SUPPOSED TO RAIN. She said, "You SAID you would take us!" I said, "Not at two in the afternoon!" It wasn't long before she was screaming how I never DO anything for her. She wouldn't listen to reason. All she cared about was that I "lied" about taking her and Logan to FunTown. I told her that she didn’t' have enough money either, and I wasn’t' giving her any since she had already STOLEN money from me. I thought I was being quite generous taking her to the movies after she had stolen from me. She responded that she wouldn't HAVE to steal if I gave her money. I told her that I DO give her money ($20 a week) for helping around the house (and she had $20 when she stole the last two quarters). I further told her that I don't HAVE to pay her anything for helping out in a house in which she lives. After she had told me that I don't DO anything for her, I took possession of her cell phone. That really pissed her off. She then began throwing things out her bedroom door screaming and screeching. “HERE! Take this, too!” and “Why don’t you take THIS?!” She threw her school clothes down. She threw her contacts case down on my desk. “HERE! I’ll BET YOU WANT THESE, TOO! You’ll probably take them anyway!” (As IF I NEED her contacts and would take them from her.) She had an eye appointment the next day at 3:15 PM. She had also slammed her eye glasses on the counter twice.

The next morning, I gathered up all the items she had thrown (new school clothes and contacts) and took them to work with me.

2005-06-21T04:25:00.000-07:00

My daughter's friend helps with a sign that says, "WalMart has unsafe bikes".

2005-06-21T04:24:00.000-07:00

Standing in front of the Sanford, Maine WalMart telling the town what a JERK the manager is!

WalMart screws a 12 year old boy

2005-06-21T03:03:00.000-07:00

Here is the letter that I have sent to WalMart headquarters, the Boston Better Business Bureau and our local newspapers.

"My 12 year old son worked hard mowing lawns to save enough money to buy himself a bicycle. He saved and put the bicycle on lay-away at the Sanford Wal-Mart. Four days later, after having mowed even more lawns (in the pouring rain), he finally had enough money to get his bicycle off lay-away. He paid for the bicycle on his own. Not one penny of the money was unearned. He even bought a lock and chain for this bicycle.

Three days after purchase, while riding, the pedal broke off. The result- My son fell off the bike and ended up with a bloody, scraped elbow. Inspection of the broken pedal revealed that the threads were stripped. It was clear that whoever assembled the bicycle did not screw the pedal into the pedal sprocket but pounded it in instead. Suspiciously enough, the very same "defect" happened to our friend's son's bike... different bike but from the same store. Her son crashed much harder than mine did.

We took the bicycle back to the Sanford Wal-Mart and spoke to the manager, Jay Worrell. His reaction was an indifferent shrug. Unfortunately, my son misplaced his receipt (he's 12 years old!). Jay Worrell rudely and flat-out refused to take the bike back! He repeatedly said he would "replace the pedal" (by the same guy who put it together the first time?! No thanks!). My son wanted his money back or a different bike but Jay was cold and uncaring and insisted on sticking to Wal-Mart's policy of retaining a receipt.

We explained to Jay Worrell that if he would check the lay-away records, he would indeed find record of this purchase (3 days ago), complete with a 12 year olds scrawled signature on the slip. Jay Worrell refused, pointed to the sign over the "customer service" desk and said, "Save your receipt".

So, as of today, my son's hard work has only earned him a broken bicycle, a bloody elbow and an empty wallet. What has he learned? That Wal-Mart is irresponsible to the youth of the community, that Jay (the man in charge) is unaccommodating, and that indeed, the big corporation doesn't care about the "little guy" or how hard he worked for his money as long as it ultimately ends up in their registers... and stays there!

"Customer Service is #1"? Not at WalMart!

I hope Jay Worrell sleeps well at night, gypping a 12 year old boy out of nearly $80 of hard earned money.

Sincerely,
"Dragonfly"

_______________
Last year, my son got a bicycle for his birthday. He was repeatedly told to lock it up at school. Of course, locking the bike took up his "valuable" time so he neglected to do that. Six WEEKS after getting his bike, he came WALKING home from school. When we asked where his bike was, he said it was stolen from the bike rack at school. (Gee, no shit? Didn't we TELL you to lock it up?!) We told him that we could NOT be purchasing another bicycle for him; if he wanted another, he'd have to buy it himself. And so he did! The kid was out there MOWING LAWNS... even in the pouring rain... to EARN the money for a new bicycle. And then WalMart's dickhead manager did THIS to him!

I should also add that we made up some signs and stood near the parking lot entrance. (See above photos)

One of the newspapers that I sent my letter to called yesterday. They are interested in printing the letter and then she said, "I heard that you were standing in front of WalMart with signs..." HAHAHA! I wonder how SHE heard! I certainly didn't tell her. Apparently, someone ELSE called the paper and told them that something was going on and apparently this called wanted it in the paper!