Kathy,
    Thanks for the update.

Amy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathy Du Bois" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2005 9:05 PM
Subject: He's been on his own for a week.


> HI guys,
>         Well, Chris has been on his own for a week now.  Let's see, he
> called on Friday begging for a plunger because, I guess he tried to
> use his toilet as a garbage disposal.  He refused to tell me how much
> or what kind of food that he tried to flush so I told him that he'd
> better get a garbage bag and start scooping.  Yuck!
>         Then, he went in to the city welfare to try to apply for
> assistance.  What none of us knew, but what I, at least, was very
> glad to find out, is that, the city has a policy of calling the
> parents of 18 to 25 year olds who are applying to find out if it is
> really true that they need assistance because the parents can't help
> them.  Now, I must admit here that I am praying that my motives were
> simply to be truthful and not a bit vengeful when the worker called,
> but when she asked if we could help chris out, I told her that, Chris
> would be more than welcome to live here at home if he were willing to
> abide by our rules.  She then asked what kinds of rules we were
> talking about and I said, you know, no smoking, drinking, drugs or
> sex, and respect for us and our things.  She must have given Chris an
> ear full because he called me later to tell me that I had really,
> "skrewed him over."  Sorry, his choice of words, not mine.  I told
> him that I would not ever lie for him so he can just forget receiving
> that kind of cover from me.  Besides, I'm a tax payer.  I'd be
> cheating myself if I lied so that he could use funds for, who knows
> what?  that money is meant for people who really do need it, not for
> people who want to have subsidised  rebellion.
>         Later that day, I got a call from school.  They informed me that,
> even though Chris has moved out, they still consider us his legal
> guardians and that they were calling to find out why Chris wasn't in
> school.  I told them where he had gone, but that he should have been
> able to make it to school by 10:00 am so I'd mark it
> unexcused.  Then, I talked to the vice principal and learned that
> Chris is tetering on the edge of another suspension.  My next call
> was to the probation officer to inform her that the vice principal
> would be hauling Chris in on Monday for a talk about his skipping
> classes, tardies and unexcused absenses.  Then, I called Chris and
> told him that he was being marked unexcused for the day.  He started
> spluttering, "you can't do that!!"  I said very sweetly, evidently, I
> can, and I did.
>         Then, he called to ttell me that he had had his drivers license
> re-instated and that it would be arriving at our house in two to four
> weeks.  He was wondering if we could just bring it by when it
> comes.  What I didn't bother to tell him is that, if our address is
> on the thing, its still invalid.  Oh well, we'll deal with that
> little episode when it arrives.    My big worry is that His girl
> friend's parents will now let him drive their car.  they're fools if
> they do.  He still isn't insured and in the state of Maine, Chris
> can't have anyone out side of the immediate family with him in the
> car, while he is driving for the first three months.  That's how we
> got his license taken away in the first place because he was showing
> off with his girl friend in the car, our car, under our insurance and
> we had to put a stop to it.  Unfortunately, her parents, probably
> don't really care, but they'll have too if they get stuck with a
> legal  mess from his driving.
>         Finally, after all that, he called me in the middle of the night
> last night because he woke up with a nose blead and didn't know what
> to do.  Greg and I both had a hard time fighting the urge to rush
> down and check him out, but I sympathised with him and told him to
> pinch it and if that didn't work, he'd probably have to go to the
> emergency room. He doesn't have a refridgerator so I knew that he
> didn't have any ice available.   I guess that he tried calling again
> today while I was at church, but he hasn't called back again, so I
> don't know how that all turned out.    He said that it was bleading
> really badly, but who knows.
>         Now, Greg is gone for the week to a conference down in New
> Hampshire, leaving me to have all this fun by myself and worst of
> all, the Pack lost again this afternoon!  Wow!  What a week, eh?
>         The peace in our house right now is just such a blessing.  I
almost
> breathe a prayer of thanks for every moment that passes, it is such a
> relief for the present not to have Chris in the home.
> Thank you so much for your continued prayers.  I"m sure that we
> haven't heard the end of it so just stay tuned.
> Kathy