Hey all! I’m back from a long hiatus. After so long I wasn’t feeling the blogging thing anymore. We’ll see how this goes for a little while.
Anyway, I recently thought about this blog again after reading the memoir Escape. The book is Carolyn Jessop’s detailed story of her life living in a polygamist cult and her eventual escape to freedom. (As a side note, her memoir is very interesting! Check it out.) You may be wondering how a book on polygamy and my story of identity theft have anything to do with each other. Well, at the end of the book, you read about how challenging it was for her to tell her story in court in hopes of putting the cult’s “prophet,” Warren Jeffs, away in prison. It brought back a rush of memories of telling my story in court just a little less than a year ago. I certainly don’t want to imply that we have equally terrible situations because holy crap…NO. She endured years of abuse and brainwashing. I would never trade places in a million years. It was just her descriptions of being terrified yet empowered in her freedom that really resonated with me. I know that feeling.
I must say, the last 9 months or so have been such a needed mental break. You don’t realize the strain that the incessant worry of potential harm has on you until it’s lifted. I know many people may not be able to understand why I have such fear of the terrorist who stole my identity. “It’s just a financial crime, so what the big deal?” is what I’m sure they are thinking. This guy is not just an identity thief. He had grand plans of violence and hate, and he wanted to use my identity to carry them out. I’m the one who alerted the police to the identity theft, the police put the pieces together and arrested him, and now he’s in prison. What does that mean for me? It means the rest of my life will be spent in some amount of fear that I may just happen to go missing one day. This terrorist is no ordinary terrorist. He also happens to have Asperger’s Syndrome. Let me just say, terrorism and Asperger’s Syndrome do not go hand in hand. They are two separate things and always will be. However, the combination does not bode well for me. Terrorist Boy does not care about my feelings or my life, and honestly, he’s probably pretty mad he got caught. So when I say I’ve finally had 9 months of relief, it’s simply because I’ve been able to live my life knowing I don’t have to worry about the weird sound I heard outside when I’m by myself or the moving shadow around the corner. I finally feel safe, something I had been missing for the two and a half years prior to his imprisonment.
The sad and frustrating part for me is that the courts have moved up his release date. He’s due to be released in December of this year. I’m just trying to soak up every amount of freedom and safety I have now. Will I live in fear for the rest of my life? I hope not, but right now I’m not sure how it will ever leave the crevices of my mind.
[edit]
I just now went back and re-read all of my past blog posts. What a ride! Whew. I also realize that my story was left hanging with this much anticipated third sentencing date, and then I drop out of blogging oblivion. So surprise. You now learn he is in prison. Hey, it’s like reading the last chapter of the book before you ever start. Details to come!
