Tom strikes again.....

Well, I spoke too soon. I had so hoped that Tom was going to take the mature route and act human. Ok, quit laughing now. My optimism was admirable.

So, last night, Tara's phone rang private number. I answered it and it was Tom's mom, Bonnie. She wanted to talk to me about an address so that Tom could send Tara divorce papers. Optimistic I may be but I do not have fool tattooed on my forehead. I told Bonnie that I would meet up with her when I was in town this month and pick up the papers. She started trying to tell me that all wasn't Tom's fault and that Tara wasn't perfect. I shut off her rant when I agreed with her that there were faults on both sides. I wasn't interested in getting in a discussion about any of it with her. I just wanted to address the issues and be done. I told Bonnie that when we met up, I would like to pick up the rest of Tara's clothes that Tom had and Tara's personal belongings. Bonnie claimed to have no idea that Tom had any of Tara's things. I told her that I understood that she didn't know but that I was letting her know that Tom had not returned any of Tara's street clothes or personal belongings and that I would like to pick them up when I met up with her for the papers. She said that the divorce could be quick and easy and cheap as the kids had nothing to contest. I said that yes, it could be as the only thing that we had to contest was Tara's personal belongings and so long as we got those back, there was no reason that this couldn't be over quickly. Everything was very civil and could have been over with that.

Less than 5 minutes later, Tara's phone rang again. It was Tom. We thought we'd try what worked Friday night. Me answering and telling him that she wasn't going to get on the phone. That worked Friday night and we hadn't heard from him in 48 hours. I answered and Tom asked for Tara. Tom's first sentence was "She'll get on the phone if she wants her shit back". Gotta love the attitude and the language there don't we? I told him that we weren't going to play this game. That Tara did not have to talk to him to get her stuff back. I told him that he was not going to hold her things hostage to force her to talk to him. He kept saying that if she wanted her "shit" that she'd get on the phone. Then he tells me that Tara needs to grow up and stop hiding behind her mommy. I started laughing and told him that was really funny coming from someone who had just had his mom call here 5 minutes previously. As he spitted and sputtered trying to pull his foot out of his mouth the only thing he could come up with was some more profanity. He kept telling me that I "would put Tara on the phone" and I kept telling him that it wasn't going to happen. At this point - I was amused. Thoroughly and totally. Mr. big, bad bully wasn't getting his own way and he was beside himself. After a few more f-bombs being dropped around and him calling me a female dog a few more times, I told him that I didn't have to listen to his mouth or his threats anymore. Then I hung up on him.

This idea was of course, too much for his single brain cell to handle and the phone immediately rang back. Being the ornery person that I am and still amused with his stupidity at this point, I answered. As I picked up the phone, I was telling Tara that I was about done with him and that I was very close to filing harassment charges on him. His first words to me: "Are you really?" I told him yes, I sure was. That he had been repeatedly told to quit calling her number and that we were done with the whole game. He then tried to tell me that Tara's "shit" was already gone. I was so calm folks. I told him "fine, then you owe her a new wardrobe". And then he back tracks and tells me that we can't prove that he didn't already return her clothes. I laughed at him. He went back to the old argument of "if she wants her stuff back, then she'll get on the phone." I told him that threats were illegal and I was about to hang up and file charges. He claimed that he wasn't threatening anyone. I pointed out that him threatening to destroy her personal property if she didn't do what he wanted most certainly was a threat and that I was done. He hung up.... finally

I hung up and told Tara that she needed to call and get a report on file - not charges but a report. That way, when we went to court, there would be a record of all the threats and stupidity. She originally called the police department from Old town where they lived. Old town referred us over to the police department here. I called the non-emergency number, asked to file a report. And we waited for the officer to arrive.

to be continued....