Mia reading.
Did this ever happen to you? Did you ever witness the actions of someone who was almost positively a criminal? Or even evil?
Sitting in Paneras. The fortyish man next to us, there with his mother, is all over the little girls at the table next to him. Their grandparents, as it turned out, are ordering food at the counter. He has slid his chair across the floor to be in touching distance. He is trying to attract their interest. Telling them how much he likes their dresses. His mother is unconcerned. She's sampling the freebies and telling a stranger about her arthritis. He is up and about now. Telling the returning grandparents how lovely the girls are. Moving too close to them. Sauntering up to other parents and their children.
I am repulsed. I know he is a pedophile. But what can I do? Can I report a man for being too interested in a four and six year old. Help me! Have you ever come this close to something like this? I can't even write about this incident. I need to bury it.
12 comments:
Far too may times, I'm afraid. Working as a welfare rights worker for 14 years there are stories...and in 'real' life? The worst, I suppose, was when, as a young teenager I moved in with my sister. My brother in law's brother, fairly fresh from the nick, moved in with his wife, an ex prostitute.After a few weeks he stabbed her to death after she sold their wedding ring. He eventually got out of prison a few years ago but is back inside after almost beating to death a girlfriend who is also an ex prostitute. He'll die in prison...I once knew a charming, funny, clever armed robber though!
That's a hair-raising story. This guy, putting his hands on those little girls, and me wondering what he'd done to other girls. Ugh!
I'm seen and been around more than a few creeps in my time, working in Security, Loss Prevention, and what not. I know it's not any help, but this guy will get caught some where down the line--
Both of these are really unsettling stories. Reminds you that the events in "crime fiction" aren't always safely confined between the pages of books.
It's gut-wrenching, Patti. Always remember, the police are public service employees and you're the public - you can call them anytime you want. There's no downside to calling them.
Sometimes the individual officers who answer the calls will be jerks (though these days if you called the police and said it was about a situation involving kids they'd likely send - or let you talk to - a specially-trained officer).
I've known too many criminals to count - I'm related to a whole bunch.
That's a tough one. Not sure what I'd do without being there to feel the situation. I might have waited for an opportunity to speak with the guy alone, but I'm 6'1", 240, so I can contemplate things some might not.
The other thing I might have done would be, if I had time, wait around to get his car's license plate, and call in my suspicions. I worked a summer job as store security one year, and was perplexed as to why a woman refused to allow us to send her little boy for X-rays after he fell out of the buggy and hit his head. The store would pay, and the hospital was visible from the front door.
I thought about it and kept coming back to the idea the child had been abused and they'd be found out if he had an examination. I called the local child abuse agency (this was in Massachusetts) and they had a system for taking in suspicions and keeping them in a database. Nothing would ever happen, no one would even see them, unless they got two calls about the same people. Then the computer would open a file for investigation.
I don't know if every state has something like this, but we can only do what we can.
Well, fwiw, until someone catches him actually doing something actionable, it's difficult to know if he restricts himself to "only" creepy attention to girls in restraurants (you didn't mention he was touching them in the post...).
You could check the known pedophile database for your area...if you see him there, report his behavior. I must admit, I'm surprised that no one in the restaurant seemed to pick up on his proclivity...
Hey, Patti. I "blossomed" early as a child and remember having several incidents where older men were far too friendly, including one man who followed me around an antiques store trying to make conversation. Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to find my mother and stick close by, but younger children might not be that savvy. I doubt there's anything that can be done in these cases unless there is attempted kidnapping, since it's not a crime to be "friendly."
Ms. Farrow and young Ms. Previn broght to mind by these events, I gather?
Since I don't know his name, I don't think I can find him in a database. One of the most alarming things was the tacit approval his mother gave him by not noticing his behavior. And this guy was fortyish.
I also had my childhood experiences-a creep on a subway who trapped my hand for several stops; a middle school teacher who had me sit on his lap after school quite regularly. I was a very naive thirteen year old and never thought a thing of it since he was over fifty.
Strangely enough I posted the picture before I wrote the post. Eerie.
http://www.mipsor.state.mi.us/
This is the sex offender registry and you can search by zip code.
I have to caution you though Patti, you may be surprised (shocked) at number of people who pop up on the list.
In the circumstances you describe the proper procedure is to find him if he's on the registry and then go to the police with what you saw. Most police forces do not like sex crimes and are not easy on them who have a history of them.
If a part of probation or parole is to not have contact with children then he is in violation and could be headed to prison.
Personally if my gut had reacted like yours I would have followed Dana's suggestion but then I am of similar size. These people do not want the spotlight of adult attention shone on them.
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