The bike is home! The bike is home! Safe. Clean. Locked up! And I didn’t even get to yell at, scare or make the punk kid cry. (Where is the justice in that?!) Here’s what happened.

After many heated words between my Geek Man and myself about how it should be handled, he really “convinced me” that I should deal with this in a more calm manner. (Read: told me I better chill out and not go ballistic about this anymore or with the kid’s parents.) So, basically, I talked to the police to see what to they recommended I do. Of course, they said they would accompany me to the punk kid’s house to talk to his parents. After talking to their neighbors, I found out they aren’t home until late evening. So this pretty much set me up for a day of stewing.

Well, this evening before I had a chance to do anything, there is a knock at my door. And a woman is standing there with 3 kids with her.

“Hi. I heard your son’s bike was stolen. And….ummm…well, my son said he found this one in in the creek by the school. So, I …ummm…wanted to return it to your boy.”

me: “He found it?” (Incredulous that she is trying to get me to buy this story.)

mom: “Yes. In fact, it is like the third one he has found. I mean, I don’t want someone coming to beat up my son or anything because they think he stole their bike.”

me: “Yeah, I mean that wouldn’t be right since he just keeps finding them and all.”

mom: “I agree. Well, since I got a call from the principal today about the bike being stolen from the school and all, I wanted to return it to your son.”

(Sidenote: Huh? When did the principal get involved? The kid is in middle school and I have never even met him. I have not talked to any principal about any of this. I never told anyone in power at the school the bike was stolen.)

mom: ” So is this his bike?”

me: “Well, yeah, but I think we both know that. Of course it has been vandalized and all, but it is his. And it is missing his pegs.”

mom: “Oh, we have the pegs in the car.”

(Sidenote 2: If the bike was found, why would the pegs be off of it and your son just happens to have them?!)

mom: “I want you to know my son did not steal it. He found it.”

me: “And you believe that? I mean you really believe that?”

mom: ” Yes. Why wouldn’t I?”

me: “Oh I am just guessing here, but perhaps because he committed a crime that was about to have legal repercussions so he thought finding it would make it look better? “

Then I look at the kid and just stared him down. He at least had the sense to look frightened. When the mom went to the car to get the pegs I pointed at him and told him “I am keeping my eye on you and the police are too. Don’t screw with my kids. Got it?”

(Sidenote: This is nothing like what I wanted to say, but the Kidlet Jr was standing with me and my Geek Man was standing there ready to shut me up. I wanted to make that punk understand that he HAS to stop. That next time the next person might not be forgiving. Honestly, I hate to think of the life ahead of this kid.)

So, we have the bike back. We have it registered with the police and we have a lock. And confession time, I do feel sorry for the kid to some degree. His mom just totally BLEW an opportunity to teach this kid a lesson he will never forget and most likely prevent him from EVER doing something like this again. Instead, she covered for him. Mark my words, he will do it again. He got away with it and his mom did nothing about it. Makes me sad for that kid. Honestly, most of the anger that I had towards the kid has turned to pity. It is the mom that sucks and should be the brunt of any anger. Her kid is falling apart under her nose and she is enabling his behavior. What a mess. It breaks my heart to know the path this kid is on and that no one is doing a thing to stop it. So sad.

Bottom line, the drama is over. The bike is back. And I am thankful that not only Kidlet Jr got his bike back, but more than that. I am thankful that I am there for my kids and when they get mad at the hard lessons in life that I make them face, I know they are just becoming better people.
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