Unbelievable!
Last night was the big meeting with the kids who wrecked Jamie's bike, and their parents. Unfortunately it started off badly right from the start. One of the dads was laughing and shaking his head (he made some comment to another parent about this being a cast of thousands) and Joe and I both cut him short, saying we didn't think this was funny. He said, "Come on, this is just kids stuff. Drugs and alcohol is serious, not this kind of stuff." I said I thought bullying and property damage was serious and that this wasn't a laughing matter. Jamie later commented that if we went by what this guy was saying, we could break into his house, wreck his stuff and murder him, and as long as we weren't drunk or stoned it would be OK. However I digress.
The meeting started, and people kept veering off in all directions: blame was being directed at the 11-year old who was bullied, at some other kids who showed up while the bike was being destroyed; one mom even had the audacity to say that the bike was on its way to being trashed before these three took it ghost riding. Joe and I kept bringing it back by saying, "Who broke the bike and what are you going to do about it?"
We finally received money for the bike but the ones who did the damage never did take real responsibility for their actions.
Then came the climax of this whole drama. A few weeks ago (before the bike incident happened) I had booked the 'laughing dad' to come remove some trees from our back yard. Last night as he was leaving, he said, "Oh by the way, I have no interest in your tree job any more," to which Joe replied, "You don't have to worry about that one." Then, as this guy was halfway down our driveway, I heard him call back to Joe, "You want a piece of me? Well bring it on. Anywhere. Any time." Joe at this point was heading back into the house and I wasn't sure he had heard (although I found out later he had). Just as the dad was saying this, I was beckoning with my index finger for Jamie to come back inside the house. The dad got this startled look on his face and I realized it looked like I was inviting him back into the house for a fist fight.
I closed the door and burst out laughing. It was just too ridiculous; too surreal. No wonder his kid doesn't know right from wrong. I told Jamie and Joe that I was going to set up a wrestling ring on our front lawn and charge a fee for the neighbours to come see Joe and Mike fight. The money would be used to buy Jamie a REALLY nice bike!
All joking aside, I am concerned how this is all going to play out at school. Already Jamie is being ostracized, etc. So stay tuned for the next chapter - it's sure to be a thrilling one.
7:17:03 AM 
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