Me

Sex Offender Be Gone!

About two years ago, shortly after Bug was born, we received a letter from the local police. It informed us that a convicted sex offender had moved into our neighborhood. Indeed, he had moved in a block away. To be clear, I can see his house from my yard. I freaked out a little bit at the time and decided to see if there were other offenders living in the neighborhood.

There are no other offenders living in our neighborhood, but our illustrious neighbor is a Level 3 sex offender, which is classified with a high likelihood of a repeat offense. He was convicted of a number of accounts of indecent battery and assault on a child under the age of 14, as well as rape and abuse of a child. I was rather hoping for some vague offense that I could write off in my mind as perhaps an 18 year old who had sex with his 16 year old girlfriend. Nope. Our neighbor is in his 40’s and there is just no justifying any of this away. My last bit of hope was that he had temporarily moved in with parents or a sibling while he got back on his feet.

Before I go on, I want to clarify something. I am not drowning in worry and stress over this situation. First of all, he has to live somewhere. And, most sex offenders have committed crimes against children they know and it would be foolish to believe my kids would be all that much safer without this guy around. Still, it creeps me out and makes me uncomfortable walking by his house. What would I do if I actually SAW him?

Well, no need to wonder. Yesterday, as I was walking home with my son, he drove by us, smile and waved. I almost immediately recognized him, despite a change in hairstyle. If I had any doubts about his identity, they were quashed when I saw him pull into the familiar address. He waved to several people on the street, actually, and I thought it was a bit bold. I mean, anyone who knows his identity is probably not that thrilled that he lives in our neighborhood. We can’t do anything about it, but that doesn’t mean it’s wise to drive down the street waving and grinning like you’re in the Macy’s Day Parade. Show a little reserve or remorse or… I don’t know. But just don’t wave to me and my child.

Sex Offender be gone! At the very least, mind your business and keep your waves and grins to yourself. I am not interested in being neighborly.

3 Comments

  • 3carnations

    Ugh. I get that a person like that, if truly reformed, wants to feel \normal\. Unfortunately for him, once you’ve committed a crime like that, you can’t expect the world to help you in your quest to feel normal. Mind your business, indeed. He can’t expect anyone to feel normal about him looking at and waving to their child.

  • @sweetbabboo

    Eek. Like you, I know that they have to live somewhere and that once they’ve served their time, they should be freed. However, I would be a little freaky about it too. I don’t know what I’d do but here’s hoping he moves away soon.

    -Abby