“When my daughter was quite young, in early grade school, she had befriended a little girl I shall call ‘A.’ Inevitably my daughter wanted A, to come home after school and play. Sure! A, let’s call your mom and make sure she is okay, and exchange addresses, etc.
Next thing I know A is ringing my doorbell, I open to see a woman speeding off. No call? No phone number? Nothing, just a little girl. I invited her in, and asked what happened to contact with her mom?
A said ‘My mom said yes, and she has missionary work.’
Seemingly it’s customary to meet the parents of the kid you just dumped? The girls played, I never heard a word from her mom. Finally, around 8 p.m., I asked A when her mom was coming back. A called her mom over and over, leaving messages. Sending her texts. No response. I didn’t quite know how to process what was happening but assumed mom was simply tied up with her ‘missionary’ work. I gave A a bath, washed her hair, put her in some PJ’s and sat down to power call her mom till she answered.
Around 10 p.m., her mom picked up. ‘Oh, I was in Mexico, missionary work. I will pick her up in the morning.’
What the heck! No apology no introduction? I had work in the a.m. This was a huge deal. (As a frame of reference we lived 30 miles from the border)
Morning comes, no Mom. Mind you I work, Mom is jobless. I gave A some clothes, packed her a lunch and sent her to school with my daughter. She seemed unfazed.
A was picked up at school by her mom. All was well. The next day my doorbell rang again; there is A at my door with a younger sibling I will call ‘the baby.’ I only see a mess of blond hair speeding away. As a parent, it’s difficult to turn away kids, but something was terribly wrong – I just couldn’t figure out what or why. Mind you I have not met this woman!
Well, the baby was a couple of years younger, and super needy, whining, crying, complaining. I instantly start calling the mom, no answer. I asked the girls what was going on in the home and how was it possible mom could simply deposit them on my doorstep no questions asked.
A: ‘Mom is doing missionary work, she loves Jesus.’
I immediately call their mom, but she doesn’t answer. The girls ended up at my house for a WEEK! Meanwhile, I’m tracking down their mom. I’m cooking, cleaning, buying clothing, bathing. The girls seem unfazed. ‘The baby’ is a handful. I know something is way off. I call the local police and file a missing person report. I contact the school, called child protection services. A case worker showed up and said they would look for the dad. I agreed to keep them until everything was sorted out.
Child protective services locate dad, he calls to say he is very busy. They are divorced and ask if the kids stay with me. Again… what the heck! I asked where their mom was; he said mom has a new boyfriend and they like to travel.
Three weeks later, mom was outside on the curb, honking the horn for A, and ‘the baby.’ As if nothing happened. I walked out, introduced myself and told her she needs to come inside so we can have a discussion. She says she is way too busy. I’m livid, I tell her I’m not giving up the kids until I have a solid explanation. I deserve one!
Mom speeds off (I kid you not) I have 0, I mean 0 respect for this nut job! No mother can simply dump off kids at total stranger’s home for weeks!
Next thing I know the police are at my door. With mom! The saving grace was I knew one of the officers – he had taken the report on missing mom. Oh! And busy Dad was in tow. (guess his schedule freed up)
The mom files a police report I had kidnapped her kids! She then has the unmitigated gall to suggest I have poisoned her girls against Jesus with my Jew-like ways – and Jews killed Jesus.
Had my daughter not been at my side crying her eyes out, I may have behaved in a less than admirable fashion.
I find out sometime later Mom is a very talented scam artist: strange men take her on trips, she hustles ‘em for cash, drops the kids wherever.”
