I took the liberty to lend Schiller's word for the title because they just fit so nicely.
God, I'm glad this week is over, it was a bit more excitement than I had anticipated... I never thought I would have to help a friend get her stuff out of her house to get away from her husband...
A few weeks ago, she came to me because she needed some help. Her husband was trapped in a deep depression and checked himself into a hospital. They didn't want to know anyone else so I stepped in a few times when she needed someone to look after her two young daughters or to take care of her guinea pigs while she was out of town. A few times she just called because she needed to get some things of her chest. I know these times can be so damn difficult so I told her to come back to me if there was anything I could do.
On Wednesday, she called me on my way home and asked if I had some moving boxes for her because she had a few hours to get out of her home. Apparently, the situation had escalated and a few boxes wouldn't help much, so I told her I'd come to her and help her deal with the mess she was in. Well, I wasn't really prepared for that. Her husband had been on suicide watch a few days, but now his doctors thought he was well enough to leave the clinic every day for a few hours. This time he used to terrorize his wife and kids. For once he terminated their relationship out of the blue, but kept coming back. He threatened her to take their kids away and to burn their house down. He also mentioned he would kill the neighbors if he got a chance and reminded his wife of a previous incident where he got his hands on a weapon and nearly killed someone...
She was terrified and called his doctor. She didn't recognize her husband anymore and was looking for some help. His doctor shut her down immediately and just reminded her that he was not allowed to talk to her behind her husband's back. Apparently, he didn't share her fears and just suggested to call the police if she felt threatened or to go to a women's shelter. The worst: he also told her he would inform her husband about the call. She knew he would pack his stuff immediately and come back home,very angry and out of control. However, she convinced the doctor to wait that day so she had some time to get her stuff out of the house and to leave.
Well, that's when she called me. At first I thought she just wanted to take some stuff for a few days, but for the next few hours we packed everything she wanted to keep for herself and her daughters. Two other friends joined us a little later to bring more boxes and help pack her belongings. Four years to fill your house with all your stuff and four hours to grab everything you want to keep. I think she was not sure if her husband would burn the house down eventually or not let her go back in... I've moved, I helped others move, but I've never done something exhausting like that (or nearly like that, it's in my top ten I guess ;)). We brought her stuff to my house. There's enough space and since we're neighbors it wasn't far away. I think I've got about 20 boxes standing around here. At some point, she got everything she wanted to keep and she left the house for good...
Today, she called me again. She went back to her parents for now and she will stay there, find an apartment for herself and her daughters and start a new life. She admitted to me that her husband has been terrorizing her for ten years now and it was time to leave. Now or never...
Meanwhile, her husband was sent to the closed ward after his doctor talked to him adn he learned that his wife left him. They think he could harm his family at this point. He did block her account and locked her out of their home (she doesn't want to go back anyways). He still talks about taking the kids away from her (yeah, idiot, you are in a closed ward, good luck :roll: ). For now I'm holding her stuff until she needs it and we hope no one noticed where we brought it (after all there are some idiot neighbors who could think they have to do the "right" thing and tell her husband about it). Otherwise, I'm also taking care of her guinea pigs. Right now, they are in their garden, but I will take them here as soon as possible. Her husband could be home within a week and I'm not looking forward to meeting him. Especially, if he's looking for someone to blame ;) and I'm absolutely clueless about how to deal with a psychopath :shock:...
Ok, that's it for now, I wish you all a nice weekend and thanks for reading and commenting and whatever :)
P.S.: in case I don't come back: blame the neighbor ;)