It seems I have my own, personal, IRL stalker: Lucky me!
Across the street lives an older couple (probably in their early 70s). We've never really had much to do with them, but the old man is friendly enough (he helped me un-shovel the car when it got stuck the first winter we lived here). I've never had anything to do with his wife....she never even says "hello" or waves.
Last summer I started noticing that he was doing something strange. If I was out front or in our driveway, I noticed that he would suddenly hide something in his lap when I would glance over there (if he was sitting on his porch). Then I realized he had binoculars, and he was watching me. OK; creepy, but not a huge deal. It continued through the winter and this summer. I always make a point of waving to him so that he KNOWS that I see him.
Then this spring, I noticed that there were plants crushed beneath our bathroom window. I asked Matt if he had been over that way and he said "no". We figure it was probably the old man: Again, WEIRD! I've even seen him watching our house through his binoculars, I'm sure looking in windows.
Next to our driveway is a cow path that leads along our property to a field below our house (the community garden) and the river, the old man has a garden down there too, as he owns part of the property. The we started noticing 4-wheeler tracks (his mode of transportation) in our yard (I haven't mowed our yard recently so I knew it wasn't from us).
It's just getting to be a bit too weird, a bit too uncomfortable, and a bit too creepy. He only watches me....he doesn't watch Matt. Matt said he would go stand in our front yard next time with our big wooden baseball bat for the old man to see (I don't think that will do anything).
Matt is even more determined to get the fence done this fall, since it seems like he's coming on our property now and riding around looking at things, or me. But what do you do? I mean honestly: do we confront him about it, report it to the police?
8 comments:
Gross. He's probably a perv. Apparently, nearly all men are perverts. Creepy.
I'd send Matt over to confront him calmly. "My wife has noticed you staring at her with your binoculars. We both feel it's inappropriate and we're asking you to stop now. Please stay off you property as well". And the second you see him do it again, call the cops and file a restraining order (and try to take a picture of him doing it too). If your town is small and you involve law enforcement, the whole town will probably start gossiping about it, so settling it quietly first would probably be best (as long as you think Matt can do it calmly, you don't want new problems).
It'd be nice to pretend that it's innocent an all, but, seriously, guys are pervs. I always thought those "To Catch a Predator" shows were so disturbing because it showed just how many 'normal' guys are really sick pervs.
Uh, POLICE, hello! Perverted Grandpa!
*And I totally thought the "thing he put in his lap" was his penis!
You absolutely, positively must report it to the police. They probably won't/can't do much at this stage, but you need to have it on file. They might drive by and talk to him, though, which might be enough to scare him away, at least for a while. Please keep in mind that you have a young daughter in the house. This is not just about him watching YOU, and it sounds like his behavior is escalating. First it was just binoculars; now he seems to be on your property. I don't mean to scare you, but once upon a time, I worked with this stuff professionally. People who are involved in sex crimes often start small, but they get bolder and bolder as they get away with stuff, and then they graduate to much bigger offenses (ie, molestation, or worse). You do not want that to happen to your family.
Eww that's gross and creepy. I'm sorry Jess I would also maybe send Matt over to talk to him. I like everything Amanda had to say.
Then police.
You guys have got me paranoid now!
Matt and I have debated him saying something, but neither of us really thought too much of it. But now, thinking about the kids (even though we're fencing our yard in with a 6' stockade-style fencing with doors that lock from the inside) he'll probably say something the next time Matt sees him.
Now I also want to set up surveillance cameras to see what all happens around our house, even when we're not here. I knew there was a reason we got rid of TV :-P
Alright, I've been over-ruled. My husband says he would go straight to the cops.
Maybe they can set up surveillance and catch him in the act.
I would go to the cops. That's just creepy. You have to go with your instincts!
go the police way
confrontation will only make him sneakier
he'll keep doing his thing, I think
Post a Comment