Other People's Kids

Full House

Tonight we have Mom and Dad staying over, along with my sister-in-law and her boyfriend. The boyfriend is kind of a hood, so we have to keep an eye on him...but then so am I, so I'm not too worried.

The disruption in routine led to a louder- and longer-than-usual screaming exhibition at bedtime for "Angel", but it ended the same way it always does. The fun part of the evening was when someone said "no" to her at supper. She wound up to scream and just got her volume cranked up when someone said something that caught her attention. Mid-scream she lost her mojo and cut herself off with "What?"

The table broke up in laughter.

The Wife and I also spoke with "Josie" on the phone. She didn't have much to say, but she seemed glad to have someone to talk to. I asked how the place was. "Like a prison". Well, duh. It pretty much IS a prison, chick. I made sure she understood that, contrary to what her PO and social worker apparently told her while shipping her out, we are NOT sick of her and we DO want to bother with her. But the sweetest part came last. As we were ending the conversation, I told her again I love her, and to keep her chin up. She paused a beat, and finally said: "I love you too."

Finally, I dragged it out of her.

As for that damned PO and social worker...we spoke about it over supper and I was drafted to write a letter to anyone concerned stating our position. We would happily welcome "Josie" back into our house with open arms, but we just can't help her with the straight-jacket they've had us in. We'd desperately love to help her and we had great success until the PO and social worker stepped in and forced her back into the situation that created her problems.

We're going to give this letter to "Josie's" counselor who will likely be in court (we weren't invited, natch) so she can give it to the judge. We're probably going to send copies of it to the PO, the SW, the county attorney, our PATH social worker, and anyone else who seems like they might have any interest. We want to make damned good and sure we go ON THE RECORD with our position in terms clear enough that there are absolutely no questions later about who said what and who was at fault for making a balls-up of this girl's life.

Guess that's all for tonight. Guess that's enough, don't you think?

posted by Dan @ 9:22 PM