Concerned

I feel like I have let a child down and I haven't and I shouldn't feel that way, but I do. (Wouldn't my English teacher love that sentence!)

Let me explain. Hopefully, I'm calm enough now to write this without losing my mind. Yep. You guessed it. This post is compliments of Daredevil. He is my mother's revenge. I know she dances around singing, "Ha! Ha! Ha! I told you so. Paybacks. Paybacks!", everytime I call her and say, "Guess what Daredevil did?"

Tuesday morning.

Ring. Ring.

Me: "Hello."

Stranger's voice: "Do you live at *****? This is Officer *****. I am sitting in front of your house. There are some children in there and they won't come out."

At first, I thought maybe it was a Valentine's prank, early April Fool's joke. Something. I'm quite into denial and like to live in that world sometimes. Reality hoovers.

I started asking him for credentials, contacts and how I could verify who he was. This annoyed him. I could hear him rolling his eyes. Yes, I verified his identity. There are too many nuts out there to trust everyone. I was suspicious and cautious because he asked if I had caller id and just wanted me to call my house and tell the kids to come out.

It seems my neighbors called the school and reported truants. Needless to say, I wasn't happy. (I was unhappy about the situation, not my neighbors. Everyone should have neighbors that care.) After the second conversation with the Officer, I huffed out a "I'll be back" to my boss and sped home daring another officer to pull me over. It wouldn't have been a pretty sight. I roared into the house ordering children OUT! They tucked their tails and hurried to the safety of the officer. I told the officer I would handle my own child. But, that's another story.

This is the part that bothers me. Two of the kids that were caught skipping have been forbidden by their parents to see each other. They were both suspended from school for the rest of the week because they left campus. Daredevil told me tonight that when the boy's father found out he skipped school with the girl he got physically violent with him. "Throwing him into doors and walls" is what I was told. I know nothing about this kid or his father. I do not know how valid the information is. But, I do not believe that any child should ever be touched in anger.

I grew up in a violent household and it still scares the hell out of me. I am worried this child was hurt. I feel guilty and responsible. I know I shouldn't but I can't help it. I plan to call the school tomorrow and request the officer visit the child's home to check on him. I don't know if he will. But, I feel I need to do something. The thought of a child being hurt hits me to the soul. I don't know what else to do.