I’m not like most parents of teenagers who let their children walk places because of what happened with Suzzane. Just this past week I’ve begun to let Charlie walk back to his grandmothers with friends to play Basketball. The whole time Charlie and his friends are gone I sit and watch the door waiting for them to come home. At the moment David, Charlie and I do not have phones so Charlie can’t even check in which makes it harder.
Sunday morning all the boys got up for Church. They left my home to walk to Church. I was so proud of Charlie because he doesn’t like being out in public. It took them 30 minutes to get to Church. They arrive at my sister’s home and it’s to early to go into the Church. They walk over to the park to play with Jason and Lily.
During Church they all sit with Debbie and the kids. During Church Ronald, William and Jacob get up to go to the restroom together which is unacceptable as they interrupted the services. There is only one stall in the restroom. Then they did this a second time. Why would three boys need to go to the restroom twice when Church is only a hour?
My niece end’s up not feeling well and Debbie has to pick her up from the nursery. She leaves Church to take her home. Walking right by the restroom. The boys aren’t to be seen. After Church Debbie ask then where they were. Two say in the restroom and one says sitting on the floor outside which isn’t true because Debbie walks by the door. Nowe, there lying to my sister which isn’t acceptable.
Debbie drives them all back to her home. In the car Jacob announces after playing basketball they are going to walk to QT. They didn’t ask me before leaving for Church which Charlie wouldn’t have been allowed to do because QT is too far and too dangerous to walk to. Not only that as far as I knew they didn’t have any money.
After Church Charlie decides to go back to Debbie’s to play basketball with Jason. While playing Debbie goes inside to check on Lily. Jason, Ronald and William all decide to leave and walk to the convivence store. Not asking any of the adults in the house if it’s okay to go. Charlie remains at Debbie’s because he knows he would get into trouble if he went.
Debbie calls to let me know what went on during Church and how they left to go to the store. None of us knew if they were coming back to her house or where they were going. But they did go back to Debbie’s. They had money from Jacob’s family but took more money from a gentleman at the store which wasn’t acceptable.
Debbie brings them home and I am surprised the bought something for Charlie. But they didn’t get Lily and Jason anything and they were in their home which again is unacceptable. Debbie, talked to them then I did. Then David also did when he got home. Because I had told Jacob they day before when he wondered off with Ronald, he wasn’t supposed to be anywhere Charlie wasn’t at.
Later that night Jacob’s mom picks him up and Ronald leaves to go home. Jackie checks Jacob’s backpack and finds these items inside it. Now, I may be the only person on the planet who didn’t know what these are, but I didn’t. I had to ask Charlie and William and David. When I found out they were for Vaping I went ballistic on the boys.
If I am kind enough to let you stay in my home, then you need to follow the rules. No Vaping and no, drinking of any Alcoholic beverages at all or you will not be allowed her ever again. I asked Charlie where this package came from, and he said Jacob found one of them on the street, but he didn’t know where the second package came from.
I asked William and he said the same thing. I know kids will be kids and they pick things up but if you’re Vaping please pick up your trash because a child can get ahold of it, and it could hurt or even kill them. Thank the LORD none, of these children as far as I know tried this stuff but only the LORD knows for sure.
I would like to remind you that in this story you see Charlie hasn’t done anything wrong and no, he isn’t perfect because no, child is. But I’ve set rules for my house, his friends’ homes and my sisters as well as Church. Charlie hates anything to do with Tobacco because it killed his grandparents and never plans on using it Also, Charlie doesn’t like Alcohol because both my dad and his dad were Alcoholics.
David’s story isn’t mine to tell but if you would like to learn more about David’s daily struggles ask him and he will tell you. Before you ask me how I can live with a Alcoholic and Drug Addict if you knew David the way I did you would understand. Just ask his friends he is the kindest more hardworking man I know. He loves his family and knows if he does these things, he loses Charlie and me.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
