On a normal Sunday in September 2010, 26th to be exact, my family prepared for a funfilled day. Swimming, fishing, bacon and eggs on the barbeque, maybe watching some football, just two parents and two children doing family things. The home was always filled with noise, laughter and tears, dreams and promises, hopes fun and sadness, just a family who worked hard and enjoyed life.
On that day I found a person hiding in the shadows of my home. Like a wolf, hiding and listening, watching, moving closer. After 18 years of sleepness nights protecting my babies and greeting them every morning, there was a person in my house who wanted something he couldn't create for himself.
He watched my family, waiting for his opportunity.
I found this person telling my wife he loved her, that he couldn't wait to talk to her. Making comments on everything she said, every movement she made. From the other side of the world he interfered with my wife and family. On a social media site he tracked her by computer, following every post and involving himself with something that meant nothing to him and everything to me. My Family.
This person chooses to be known as Ranger Tom.
He was infiltrating and destroying a 20 year relationship, a life that created two young children, not caring that he was changing their lives, when they didn't want change.
I read the messages with disbelief. Surely he has the wrong person. I mean, this person was in the USA. No respectful, honourable person would interfere with another man's family. No person who claims he has bled for his Country, who wouldn't leave his mates on the battlefield, who claims to be an ex-Philadephia Police Officer, would act this way. It is an unwritten rule among men - married women are off limits. Families are sacred.
I contacted this person, he would not speak to me. I told him he had made a mistake, we are a family, leave us alone. Create your own family, and good luck. Suddenly he knew more about my family than me. He wanted what was mine. He sat back in the shadows of the internet, applauding as we yelled and argued and the family disintegrated. What was his motive, was it financial, jealousy, or maybe spite? Did someone become involved in his family and ruin it? What did he think there was to gain?
He did this knowing there were young children involved. I had no idea what I faced. I looked - and discovered a blog site, and a 'sexy women' photograph site. In his blog - his 'rants' - I found he described himself as a 'bitter divorced person' who's motto proudly was 'Pissing off the entire world - one person at a time' and 'who doesn't give a rat's arse'. He claimed he 'did not get involved with married women - EVER'. Then what was his interest with my wife and family? The first of many lies. And he wanted to relocate to the Australian region. How, by destroying a man's happy family then picking through the bones? My beautiful family were in his sights. And this person had contact with my wife and children. I discovered he had been talking to my young son on the phone. I was in a state of terror. I still am.
This person had decided to run my family, be father to my children, partner to my wife, all from the other side of the world. Everytime the computer came on, he was there. Making sure he was a grey man. Making sure his tracks were covered and all evidence deleted. Just a nice person making conversation. With a married woman?. The children and I had to sit there and endure the smirks and deception of these private conversations. But this person 'DOES NOT GET INVOLVED WITH MARRIED WOMEN - EVER! I started to receive pornography on the social media site. I found him calling me profanities, his 'friends' making threats.
What sort of person does this? If he has bled for his Country, he then must have Purple Heart. Would his Country and Family be proud of his actions? He had a chance to create his own family but failed, so in his mature years nearing seniority he decides to attempt to raise another man's children. Without ever raising one of his own. All care taken, no responsibility? The hard work isn't finished yet.
I hung in there for 7 months hoping this person would get tired of his game. Not so. She left the children with her mother and flew 3000kms to meet him.
I gave up.
The family is gone. The home is now a shell, no children, no laughter, no dreams or promises, no seeing them in the morning or telling them a silly story at night. Just days of wondering if they are safe, or tired, or sad or lonely. A family destroyed because someone wanted a different life. Another statistic in the Family Court Annals. A home with now an all too common title - broken.
Because Ranger didn't give a rat's arse.
Can you really hold your head high and look at yourself in the mirror and have your self respect?
Or do you look and ask yourself -
'ARE YOU A CUNT?'
The truth is there for all to see.
Copyright M.Higgins - Proudly Australian
