Psycho Stalker Bitch

The Chinese believe it is a curse to live in interesting times. Sometimes, considering the interesting lives some of my friends lead, I can see that point. Take the story a good friend of mine told me today: it goes way beyond interesting. In fact, it has me seriously scared and worried for her, more than she herself is. She has a Psycho Stalker Bitch. Now I know that's not proper language, definitely not PC, but I'm not feeling kindly towards this person threatening my friend, so the label stays.

It's useful in another way as well. I don't want Psycho Stalker Bitch Googling her own name, or having somebody else do it, and take any kind of psycho action based on her reactions to it. As a result, I'm going to disguise all names, and omit other identifying information. Other than that, this is as true as I can write it, based on the information I have.

My friend, hereafter known as Friend, and I met several years back, thrown together trying to achieve the same goals in the same setting. As I got to know her, I gained respect for her work skills and her ethics, and enjoyed her personality. We became friends, remaining so long past the situation that brought us together ended. We chat nearly weekly, more if one of us needs it. We exchange X-mas presents. I attended her wedding reception.

Some time back, Friend started telling me about a troubling situation with a co-worker. This was a person Friend had to train, but became increasingly disturbed about. Work was neglected, items showed up missing, funds were embezzled although nothing could be proven about who was responsible, and the co-worker started slandering Friend to other co-workers. She flat out told Friend that she was going to get her fired from her job and fill it herself. It went from bad to worse, dragging out for months, before the co-worker was finally fired. While Friend's boss believed Friend, very few other people at the workplace did, and some of that attitude lingers to this day.

I had no problem believing Friend's story. I had long knowledge of her and trust for her. Nothing has occurred to prompt me to question that even minutely. I was powerless to help, other than to listen and give support. When the co-worker no longer held that status, we both thought it was over. There were some lingering concerns about co-worker's having had access to personal information including social security numbers, but Friend's bank became involved and some potential problems were averted.

Fast forward, present time. Friend and her husband, hereafter called Hubby, live way out back of beyond. That's what I call it when the location in question is remote and far from the metro area. They have 10 acres in a rural township outside a small town. Both commute for their jobs much closer to the big city. Until now, the most excitement at home has been watching the wildlife parade through their back yard. The location is not only a fair distance from Friend's worksite, but an even farther distance from the former co-worker's (hereafter known as Psycho Stalker Bitch, or PSB when I get tired of writing it all out) home. There is no known reason for Psycho Stalker Bitch to show up in the area.

But she has.

Friend's bank has started getting involved more closely with Friend again, because someone has been trying to access her accounts. Friend stops at the local fast food joint to pick up supper on those nights when Hubby will be delayed and she doesn't have to cook. Psycho Stalker Bitch will be in her car in the parking lot, watching. She'll leave as soon as Friend exits. Psycho Stalker Bitch has been seen outside the local grocery store when Friend is shopping. Friend had a medical appointment, and was asked who that woman was in the parking lot who was staring at her?

Friend tries to vary her route and time she heads home from work, but somehow Psycho Stalker Bitch is there as she hits town. One day PSB swerved her vehicle and Friend almost was run off the road. Now, as soon as Friend is back in cell phone range near her small town, she'll be on it, talking to somebody. First, she can quickly call for any needed help. Second, this gives her a reason not to look at PSB, not to acknowledge her for any reason as she drives past her. This is what the cops have advised her.

Friend wasn't shy about contacting them. There's not much they say they can do at this point. It's not illegal to be on a public road or in a business parking lot. As Friend comes into town, there'll be a squad parked there, watching as she goes past. They keep an eye on her, help her feel safer. They say they don't think PSB actually means any harm to Friend. Their reasoning is, taking her statement about trying to take away Friend's job, as well as other clues I haven't mentioned here, that PSB is the kind of mentally unbalanced person who is unhappy with her own life and wants to live somebody else's. Friend's.

I'm not so sure I agree. To me it's not such a leap to go from wanting to live somebody else's life to wanting to take away somebody else's life. After all, that's what she tried with the job. Who knows what might flip PSB over that edge?

Friend thinks PSB just wants to play mind games. There have been occasions of a vehile driving suspiciously into their yard when to all appearances nobody was home. But when a head appears, the vehicle peels out. So far there have been no break-ins, no mail tampering, no attempt at contact or harm other than the day PSB's car swerved. Friend is determined to stay calm.

Despite that, she's also determined not to be stupid about it. Living in the country, and being hunters, they have firearms about the house. Usually they are cleaned and packed away after hunting season is over. Now the "long guns" have positions near the house doors, and a pistol sits in the bedroom. For those times when nobody is home, something becoming more seldom lately, trail cams are discretely positioned to capture key action near certain doors. Friend says they have had to do a lot of erasing pictures lately, but the evidence will be there if necessary.

I'm hoping it won't be. But I'm worried.