*Triggers Possible* Even They Can Bleed
Tableau in Stasis
Registrant
I've wanted to make this post several times throughout this process to document my thoughts, but haven't been able to do more than talk about this in chat, so I come to you now with the story in (nigh on) full.
Our tale begins in November of last year, about mid way through the month. I volunteer with a queer non-profit community space multiple times a week, and it is a general safe place for me that has gotten me through a lot of bullshit in the past couple years. And due to the nature of what we do, a lot of messy people come through, because that's real life, and what we're here for. And one day one of the more flighty and peculiar individuals came by during our open hours near to closing with a friend to take use of our shower and clothes closet. This friend was a bona fide cowboy (self proclaimed lol), the spitting image of this stereotype one might think of. Which was unusual as those aren't the kinds of type that usually come around, even if they're not too uncommon in the area. He brushes through and off to the back of the house without much in the way of greetings or small talk which is a little unusual, but nothing unheard of. I go after him and introduce myself as one of the volunteers on shift for the day, and he says simply "I'm with her" and walks away.
As everyone trickles out after me and the director of our organization close down the house, the two of us talk a bit about how strange he is, as we wonder what exactly he's doing here seeming so out of place. And as he comes back out and we wait for the friend who brought him in to get out of the shower, the two of us start asking questions to try and understand more about him. He seems to warm up more and we kind of tried ourselves for judging him too quickly, and him and his friend leave not long after.
A week or so later due to some unusual circumstances, I was the only one keeping the house open on a particular day where he (we'll call him Dan) and his friend (who I'll call Danielle) come again, along with one other person of a similar sort who'd come around a little more often. And so for 3 hours we all talked, I got to know him a lot better and was more surprised the whole time. He complimented my outfit, confessed a love of fashion, and seemed to come alive and enjoy talking. When it got time to close, he gave me his number in case he was ever back in town, but said he had to go back home out of state the next day. I thought nothing of it, took his number down and figured that was the end of that.
Over the next few days he texted me a time or three, and called me once on thanksgiving. By now I'm beginning to realize there might be something more to him than I had thought, all the way until he invited me to come by if I was ever around, and that he would take me out on a date. Now this was a possibility I hadn't considered, given the fact that he was 33 and supposedly not looking for a relationship, and he knew I was in one myself. But I tried it myself on my obliviousness, gave some placating pleasantry, and bemoaned my embarrassing lack of insight to my friends. The rugged cowboy had eyes for me, and apparently they had all noticed and not I.
Fast forward a few months to this past Monday when I went to the store after my shift, only to run into Danielle for the first time since. She ran right up to me and immediately said "you remember that guy I was with?" and I immediately felt a chill run through me from her tone. She went on to tell me he was using a fake name, and in fact was a convicted "cho-mo" which I had to ask her to define. A child molester which sent me into shock, as I realized why the 13 year gap was hardly too enough for him to not pursue me. In my bewilderment and surprise, his real last name flies straight out of my mind and I walk away without asking for details.
I drove straight to my adoptive mother's house to tell them the news and before the night was up everyone who had known him here was aware. But I wanted more details I cursed myself for neglecting to ask for. Because no one I knew had a way to contact Danielle, no one ever knew when she would be back around, herself included.
Until on my Thursday shift at about 5:00, Danielle walks through our doors and I immediately ask her how she found out about him, and she breaks into tears. She just recently gotten back from going out of state with him where he stole from her, and could have hurt her children. Upon comforting her she revealed that when she got suspicious, she went digging in his backpack and found his parole papers with Dan's real name on them. I believe she then confronted him, and he tried to explain how his charge was mere misunderstanding. But he'd served 10 years for aggravated sexual assault in, and was in massive violation of parole and probation.
Enraged and in pain, I set out to put a stop to him, and do anything I could to get him to justice as he deserved. For using Danielle, raping who knows how many, and trying to get me too. Under the pretense of wanting to come visit him, I called up the number he gave me with Danielle and 4 others listening in on speaker. I coaxed out his current location, before he caught on to the hoax and hung up the call.
Danielle then proceeded to call three separate related law enforcement offices to report him with updated information about his location, vehicle, and crimes. Because even he can bleed. Justice can find one who's evaded it for years. Pain can end with the power of the persecuted. And terror can be turned against those who'd seen it used as a cudgel of oppression.
Our tale begins in November of last year, about mid way through the month. I volunteer with a queer non-profit community space multiple times a week, and it is a general safe place for me that has gotten me through a lot of bullshit in the past couple years. And due to the nature of what we do, a lot of messy people come through, because that's real life, and what we're here for. And one day one of the more flighty and peculiar individuals came by during our open hours near to closing with a friend to take use of our shower and clothes closet. This friend was a bona fide cowboy (self proclaimed lol), the spitting image of this stereotype one might think of. Which was unusual as those aren't the kinds of type that usually come around, even if they're not too uncommon in the area. He brushes through and off to the back of the house without much in the way of greetings or small talk which is a little unusual, but nothing unheard of. I go after him and introduce myself as one of the volunteers on shift for the day, and he says simply "I'm with her" and walks away.
As everyone trickles out after me and the director of our organization close down the house, the two of us talk a bit about how strange he is, as we wonder what exactly he's doing here seeming so out of place. And as he comes back out and we wait for the friend who brought him in to get out of the shower, the two of us start asking questions to try and understand more about him. He seems to warm up more and we kind of tried ourselves for judging him too quickly, and him and his friend leave not long after.
A week or so later due to some unusual circumstances, I was the only one keeping the house open on a particular day where he (we'll call him Dan) and his friend (who I'll call Danielle) come again, along with one other person of a similar sort who'd come around a little more often. And so for 3 hours we all talked, I got to know him a lot better and was more surprised the whole time. He complimented my outfit, confessed a love of fashion, and seemed to come alive and enjoy talking. When it got time to close, he gave me his number in case he was ever back in town, but said he had to go back home out of state the next day. I thought nothing of it, took his number down and figured that was the end of that.
Over the next few days he texted me a time or three, and called me once on thanksgiving. By now I'm beginning to realize there might be something more to him than I had thought, all the way until he invited me to come by if I was ever around, and that he would take me out on a date. Now this was a possibility I hadn't considered, given the fact that he was 33 and supposedly not looking for a relationship, and he knew I was in one myself. But I tried it myself on my obliviousness, gave some placating pleasantry, and bemoaned my embarrassing lack of insight to my friends. The rugged cowboy had eyes for me, and apparently they had all noticed and not I.
Fast forward a few months to this past Monday when I went to the store after my shift, only to run into Danielle for the first time since. She ran right up to me and immediately said "you remember that guy I was with?" and I immediately felt a chill run through me from her tone. She went on to tell me he was using a fake name, and in fact was a convicted "cho-mo" which I had to ask her to define. A child molester which sent me into shock, as I realized why the 13 year gap was hardly too enough for him to not pursue me. In my bewilderment and surprise, his real last name flies straight out of my mind and I walk away without asking for details.
I drove straight to my adoptive mother's house to tell them the news and before the night was up everyone who had known him here was aware. But I wanted more details I cursed myself for neglecting to ask for. Because no one I knew had a way to contact Danielle, no one ever knew when she would be back around, herself included.
Until on my Thursday shift at about 5:00, Danielle walks through our doors and I immediately ask her how she found out about him, and she breaks into tears. She just recently gotten back from going out of state with him where he stole from her, and could have hurt her children. Upon comforting her she revealed that when she got suspicious, she went digging in his backpack and found his parole papers with Dan's real name on them. I believe she then confronted him, and he tried to explain how his charge was mere misunderstanding. But he'd served 10 years for aggravated sexual assault in, and was in massive violation of parole and probation.
Enraged and in pain, I set out to put a stop to him, and do anything I could to get him to justice as he deserved. For using Danielle, raping who knows how many, and trying to get me too. Under the pretense of wanting to come visit him, I called up the number he gave me with Danielle and 4 others listening in on speaker. I coaxed out his current location, before he caught on to the hoax and hung up the call.
Danielle then proceeded to call three separate related law enforcement offices to report him with updated information about his location, vehicle, and crimes. Because even he can bleed. Justice can find one who's evaded it for years. Pain can end with the power of the persecuted. And terror can be turned against those who'd seen it used as a cudgel of oppression.
