Feral Children

I had a long day and a longer day tomorrow. 

However, I thought I would share a few things that will probably make me look bad. 

I hate the sound of children playing.

Maybe it's a parental thing, hearing your kids play, you know they are happy, safe, and well fed.  For me, the sound of children playing means property damage, sleep deprivation, and incursions onto my property.  The yelling and banging (at least from the kids I've met) also trigger my PTSD.  I don't talk about it, but I have it.  I've had it for over 20 years. 

Doc says the meds I take any way help with that, and I believe him.  But nothing grates more than screaming and irregular loud thumps coming from next door. 

I vow to be honest here.  I know I look terrible; the monster neighbor screaming "Get off my grass!" - which is another issue.  I pay a lot of money to live here.  If I wanted kids in my yard I'd have had them.  We have a playground right down the street.  You have your own yard.  Why get into mine? 

They always, ALWAYS, seem to want to play when I need to sleep.  They keep me up as a result and I can't even sleep in my own home because some kid is kicking a soccer ball into the fence.  They are more careful with the soccer ball since I cut off backyard access.  They were running wild in my yard, screaming, and I found a 3 year old by himself in the yard unsupervised.  I also had the older boy slamming the gate and making loudly disparaging comments about how our gate was designed to "trick" children into thinking we had a dog.  How is what happens on my property your business, child? 

After that I sent the letter cutting off access, and the kids stayed out of the yard.  A few months back they came by and said they had lost their ball. 

They "lose" the ball by throwing it on my roof and trying to catch it as it rolls back, but more often it rolls into my backyard. 

My roof is not your toy.  I doubt the soccer ball hurt the roof any but is disrespectful to throw a ball on our roof at all.  I never told them "If you get bored throw the ball on my roof, roll it into my yard, and come get it." 

So, they came by and looked at me expectantly.  I am certain they expected me to say "Go ahead and get it".  I didn't.  I gave an annoyed sigh and told them I would get it, as they waited on the porch.  I got the ball and gave it back. 

When I looked out the window a few minutes later, they were throwing the ball on their own roof and playing "the game".  I think they got the point: access revoked. 

Frankly, I can't take the chance of a child getting hurt on my property.  I also don't like children running around in my space.  They are loud, like I said, it triggers my PTSD.  I have severe mental illness; and I have told Ron more than once I need to sit down with the father and tell him "Keep the kids out of my yard because I am extremely mentally ill".  Ron says one of two things will happen: the kids will really bother me, trying to see the specimen in action; or the family will move.  We could end up with someone much worse. 

It's just frustrating. 

When I was at the warehouse club today (during business hours) I had a problem with two little boys, poorly supervised by their father as the mother waited in line for the deli. 

They got very excited when they saw all the junk and sugar foods on my flatbed.  I had several types of pastry, candy, etc.  They kept drifting over towards me.  I'd give them a look and they'd back off.  When I turned my back, one little boy started running his hand along a box.  I glared at him and he ran off, and the apathetic father just gave me dead eyes.  I absolutely believe they would have ripped the plastic off a case and started eating my merchandise, if I had left that cart unattended next to Ron. 

{No they were not autistic.  I am familiar with those mannerisms.}

If I had put my hands on someone else's merchandise, gone into their yard without permission, thrown a ball on their roof, or talked rudely about them, I would have been beaten.  I would have understood exactly why they did it - because I was not being respectful to adults and their property. 

Sadly, that is lacking today.  My friend calls it "Feral Children".