to catch a thief

First off I really need to say:
thank you for all the comments.

At the beginning of the year I swore that I was going to be diligent about replying to comments by typing replies back in the comments section myself. Like most resolutions I make around the New Year, I failed miserably.

I need to get back on that horse however, because it is the most tangible way I can thank you all so very much. I get so much from this blog, and while some of it comes from just the keeping of it, a good portion of my enjoyment comes from the connection with folks out there who read and comment back. In the past couple of months now, with this Blog365 insanity, I often find myself far more excited to see comments then being faced with my blank entry screen each day. I have deep appreciation for the people who take the time to bounce a thought back my way.

Case in point: I really appreciate all the feedback about my thieving housekeeper issue. Here's what I did about it.

The first thing I did was to have a locksmith come the next day and change the locks. That really was key (get it?) in regaining my sense of security (and sanity). I didn't suspect she'd try to come and steal more stuff, but I also didn't suspect she'd be the type in the first place to steal money from a client, let alone from a kid.

The next thing I did was try to contact her to discuss it. I agreed with Kim that this probably was a communication problem. During the CleaningLady's employment here, I'd acquired a few new pieces of furniture and a shedding dog. I spoke with her about this, and she told me she was fine with everything. I suspect that she actually was not. That's too bad, because not only am I approachable, but I even opened the door for discussion regarding her pay.

I didn't feel 100% great about stopping payment on the check for her recent cleaning either. She probably stole about twice that amount over the months, but she did clean that last day.

Once I nailed her stealing money, I tried phoning the CleaningLady several times over a couple of days, but she didn't answer. Typically she always answers the phone when I call as she can see my number. She doesn't know how to retrieve her voicemail messages, so she has told me never to leave a message. She has told me however, that I can text her. After several attempts at calling, I sent her the following text message:

I have stopped payment on my recent check to you. I would be glad to reissue a new check (less the $18 that I can prove you have taken), even though I am certain you have taken much more than that. Please feel free to call me to discuss the matter (or not). I no longer require your services. This situation is a shame.

HolyCrapoli, I cannot for the life of me believe that I fired someone via text message. She never called back.

Monday I called MerryMaids to let them know I had to let her go and why, just in case they were going to take her on again. That's when I was advised that the reason they let her go last fall was not due to a decrease in their client base, but because she was caught stealing money out of a child's piggy bank, and she admitted to it!

So it's a pattern. And (sorry, Kim) no amount of open conversation could have fixed that. But it is a pattern, which means it isn't me, and that is great because I was taking it personally for some reason. I am embarrassed to say that knowing she has jilted others somehow makes me feel better, even though I feel truly sad for everyone else she has harmed.

Learning that she is a repeat offender, I tried to track down her business license information to file a complaint. I'm still working on that, but more than likely, she never really had one in the first place, and that's why I can't find her.

I have decided that tomorrow I am not going out at my usual time with my dad, as I am still a bit nervous that the CleaningLady didn't get the text message, or perhaps she doesn't know yet that I stopped payment on the check, or maybe she is going to come and try to kill me or something (did I mention that she has a bumper sticker on her car that says "Contract Killer"? Please tell me that's the name of band or something, eh?).

I have spoken to MyFavoriteKid about the whole ordeal, and he understands why I felt the need to keep testing her for so long to be sure, and why I grilled him about possible other places the money could have gone. I also talked with MyFK about all of the emotions that ran through me that day when I was able to finally prove without a doubt that it was CleaningLady who was stealing... and how I felt knowing that he'd been having similar feelings. We had a nice talk about it, and he's all good. Especially since I repaid him his stolen money. Which I can't say has my wallet feeling too great (heh heh), but oh well.

So there we are. I have someone new coming in tomorrow morning (from a small agency that is bonded, licensed, insured) to look my place over and give me an estimate.