Inmate #CM374003

How did you start your day today?  Mine was lovely.  Truly.  I woke up rested to the smell of fresh coffee. I got up and dressed.  Made lunches for the kids and waited for them to wake.  Yes, WAITED.  They weren't already awake they were still in deep slumbers at 8:15 and we usually leave at 8:30.  I didn't want to wake them though.  The fact that they were still sleeping must have meant they were tired and needed a little more rest.  It also meant that it was going to be a crummy start to the day.  No one likes to wake up and have to immediately put on their clothes, brush their teeth and get in the car.  Especially my 4 year old. He likes to get up, drink chocolate milk, lounge around for a bit in his jammies.  He doesn't like to be rushed. This I can appreciate.

However, that isn't at all how it played out.  I woke him up at about 8:25.  He was very pleasant.  He agreed to get dressed after he drank his chocolate milk and that is exactly what he did.  Even his sister cooperated.  Well, that is until it was time to put shoes on and she pitched a fit.  She was screaming "mine, mine," and jerking the socks out of my hand.  I was trying to remain calm.  I mean if it were that big of a deal to be on time then I should have woken them up earlier, but I didn't so I kept a level head.  During her screaming I heard someone banging, yes banging, on the front door.  I froze, my kids froze.  You see, I don't answer the door if I don't know someone is coming.  Make a note of it.  If you ever come to my house, you must call me or you will just stand on the doorstep banging away.

So anyway, we stayed quiet for a minute or so, but I looked out the window and whoever was there never left.  So I gathered my courage (I didn't want my kids to know I was scared) and I said, "who is it?"  Want to know what the response was?

"It's the Dallas Sheriffs Department, open up."  Ummm, what?  My heart is really racing now, I am scared.  Why should I be scared?  Goodness gracious I haven't done anything, but I have my reasons.  I blame them on a terrible man named Wayne Lovell.  That is a story for a different post.  Anyway, so I open up the door (actually it is only cracked) and this is the conversation.

Sheriff - "Christina?"

Me - "No, my name is Amy Haisler"

Sheriff - "May I come in and speak with you?"

Me - "I'm sorry, I don't know you.  I'm not letting you in."

Sheriff - "I am with the Dallas Sheriffs Department and I am looking for Christina Mansfield.  May I just come inside and talk to you."

Me - "No, I told you my name is Amy Haisler.  I will show you my ID, but you may not come in."

Sheriff - "My car is right outside if you would like to take a look.  My partner is in the backyard.  Do you have dogs?"

Me - "Yes I have dogs.  Ok, I'll step outside."

Sheriff - "My partner is white.  I'll call him around.  Can he come in?"

Me - "It isn't about race.  I don't know you and my name is Amy Haisler.  You are here looking for someone that doesn't live here.  Why do I need to let you in?  I have heard stories and I don't let strangers in my home."

Sheriff - "My partner is here.  Maybe we come in and talk?"

Me - "I will let you in the front door, but the door stays open.

Sheriff- "Ok.  Ma'am we are just trying to find Christina Mansfield.  Do you know her."

Me - "No I don't know her, but she did live here.  This is my mother's home, but she had renters a few months back.  They left in the middle of the night."

Sheriff - "Are you related to Christina Mansfield?"

Me - "No.  They were just renters."

Sheriff - "May I see your ID again?"

Me - "Sure."

He looks at the ID, looks at me for a minute or so.  I swear he thinks I'm lying.  I am not lying dude!  I don't know this chic.

Sheriff - "Do you know where they went?"

Me - "No.  They left in the middle of the night.  A realtor in Mesquite found them.  Maybe contact them.  Epps Realty is the name."

Sheriff - "Ok ma'am.  Thank you for your cooperation."

This whole time he is looking around the house.    Seriously, this Christina chic is in her 20's.  I am clearly in my 30's.  This guy has got to work on his investigative skills.  He probably doubts me because I look scared.

Finally, they leave.  I lock the door and Jack says, "mommy, why were the police talking to you?"  I tell him that they are looking for a girl named Christina that used to live there.  Fortunately he dropped it.

So, that is how my day started.  Fortunately, it wasn't a big deal.  Everyone woke up pleasant.  I had the Dallas Sheriff Department standing on my front door step interrogating me.  I exercised, ran a few errands, had a nice lunch.  It was just a little bump in the road.

Too bad for Christina Mansfield though.  That girl is in TROUBLE.  This is what inmate CM374003 would look like if my name were Christina Mansfield.  Why?  Because I would not go easily my friends.  Not easily at all.