I'm Peeping At You...
By twoey68
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
April 29, 2008 9:47am CST
Years ago when we first started foster care we lived in a house that had a little garage behind it. Behind that garage in the next yard was an older man who was a pervert. He had mental problems and ppl mostly stayed away from him.
One night 2 of our foster girls came and told me there was a man looking in their window at them while they were changing clothes. I went out the back door to look around and heard the old neighbor guy going through the weeds and such behind the garage. I called the police department and they said that unless I actually caught him that there wasn’t anything they could do. Well, I decided on another tactic.
First, I made the rule that everyone had to change clothes in the bathroom…no more changing in the bedrooms. Then I bought some heavier curtains for the bedroom windows and started letting all the weeds and brush grow up around the back of the garage. I even threw Miracle Grow on it and kept it watered to help it grow up faster. Within a couple months I had a pretty impressive jungle back there and the kids couldn’t get in it much less an old man.
Well, the old man caught on to what I was doing and called the police to complain about my jungle. Of course they came right out and threatened to fine me if I didn’t cut it down. I told them that as soon as they put a stop to the peeping tom that was harassing my foster kids I’d cut it down.
They went over and had a stern talk with him and from then on he wouldn’t even look towards our house much less come over. I waited a week to make sure and then cut down my jungle.
Have you ever had a peeping tom? Did you catch them? How did you stop them? What would you have done in my situation or do you think I handled it well? Where do you suppose the term peeping tom came from?
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
11 people like this
25 responses
@blackbriar (9075)
• United States
29 Apr 08
Didn't need to do that, twoey. Just plant some poison ivy/oak back there. lol Better yet, keep the weeds about 7" tall and 'plant' nails, barbed wire, etc in the weeds. I had this same problem when we used to live a mobile home park so I know what you were experiencing. Overall, I think you handled the situation just fine. Least the police finally did something about the peeping tom.
3 people like this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
29 Apr 08
I like the poison ivy/oak idea for the bad guy, but what about the foster kids? Awful if they get into it unless they are amuned to it.
@blackbriar (9075)
• United States
29 Apr 08
The foster kids could be told not to go back there or have it blocked off so they can't.
Glad your tactics worked. Hope it keeps him away for good.
@nana1944 (1364)
• United States
29 Apr 08
You did what I deem as a very good way to get rid of the guy who was peeping. I have heard the story about Peeping Tom being a tailor in Coventry who spied upon Lady Godiva as she rode by on her horse. There are some accounts wich put him several centuries later but who knows for sure. We did have several peepers in the town closest to the town I was raide in.
I am so glad you handled this the way you did.
1 person likes this
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
30 Apr 08
When my sister and I lived in a duplex the landlord's husband was a peeping tom. We made sure to always have our curtains closed. He gave us the creeps but not much we could do about him at the time. I was glad when we moved. We did have an experience in our house with one but we have no idea who he was. As soon as he was spotted he took off. We called the cops on him but there wasn't much they could do. We decided to grow a hibiscus bush in front of the window to help.
I think what you did was smart. I wish I could have done that but our window was in the front of the house. I'd definitely have someone complain about that.
Now as to the expression "Peeping Tom" that goes back to Lady Godiva. When she did her famous ride all the villagers turned their back on her but you had one that peeped to see her in all her glory. His name was Tom, hence the term.
1 person likes this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
29 Apr 08
I think you did a fantastic job. Changing clothes in the bathroom was excellent.
The only other thing you could have done would have been to install a camera with a video system. Then you would have had to go to court with the kids.
I like your way. I always find it interesting that a pervert must be caught in the act, but if you let weeds grow, you're in trouble. Amazing, isn't it?
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
29 Apr 08
We had a female neighbor who liked to open her curtains just a tad and stare out the window. Then gossip on the phone to everyone she could. One day, my Dad walked by and yelled, "Hi Mrs. __________, nice to see you, too!" He said the curtains closed fast and he had the last laugh.
2 people like this
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
29 Apr 08
Well! That was a good idea you had! Funny tho how your weeds more more of an offense than the peeping tom! Yes, I wonder where the term peeping tom came from.. was there a real tom who inspired the phrase?
1 person likes this
@slickcut (8140)
• United States
29 Apr 08
yes we lived in a house and there was a peeping tom there too..We caught the pervert looking in our window and we called the police too..We were renting the house but anyway the police came out and told us as long as he did not try to come in we could not do anything about it...That was a very long time ago and i could not believe they told us that.. a friend of mine sent me a web-site called Felon Spy.com i looked on there ,you put your address in and they show you any offenders that live near by..We do have a couple in our neighbor hood...I do not understand what goes on in the sick mind of a pervert.....
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
29 Apr 08
Good for you, I think you handled it very well..
I did have a peeping Tom when I was a teenager..I remember one evening during the winter I was in my room lying on my bed reading, when I looked up, there was this face, I freaked out.. Well my Dad called the police and since there was new fallen snow, they saw there were footprints in the snow leading both towards and away from my window. I wish I hadn't gotten so stirred up because they never caught the guy, and if I could have given a better description, it would have helped..
So I just kept my curtain drawn all the time, it took me a long time to start opening them again..
I did have a peeping Tom when I was a teenager..I remember one evening during the winter I was in my room lying on my bed reading, when I looked up, there was this face, I freaked out.. Well my Dad called the police and since there was new fallen snow, they saw there were footprints in the snow leading both towards and away from my window. I wish I hadn't gotten so stirred up because they never caught the guy, and if I could have given a better description, it would have helped..
So I just kept my curtain drawn all the time, it took me a long time to start opening them again..1 person likes this
@Countrymom (371)
• United States
29 Apr 08
I love your response to the situation. I agree that poison ivy or oak would've been in order LOL Now that would've had interesting consequences. I think it is sad that police cannot do anything unless the person is caught in the act. One would've thought they could've at least put a good scare into him or questioned him in such a fashion that he never did it again in the original complaint! Great strategy for dealing with a peeping tom!
1 person likes this
@paid2write (5201)
•
29 Apr 08
I do think you handled the situation well. It was a good idea to let the plants grow high. I'm glad the problem has now been resolved.
Peeping Tom comes from the story of Lady Godiva, who rode horseback through the town without her clothes, for a challenge. Everyone in the town had to promise not to look at her, but a tailor, called Tom, drilled a hole in his window shutters so he could peep through as she passed.
@DonnaLawson (4032)
• United States
29 Apr 08
I did have one when I was much younger and had just been married for a couple of years.. I can brag all that I want to about how I would go out and chase him off, take a stick to him or whatever else people say when talking about what they would do, but I didn't, I froze.. We were sitting in our living room and I had pulled the drapes to earlier, but hadn't noticed that when pulling them to, I pulled them too far and there was a gap on one side of the curtain and when I just happened to look over at the window, there was a man standing there looking in the window at me.. My father-in-law and husband were out of his line of sight, but he stared me right in the eyes.. I was still frozen, I bet it took a good 2 or 3 minutes for me to speak up and by the time that I did, both the men went out but the "perv" was long gone.. I do not know if this was a one time thing or not, but it sure scared the heck out of me..
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
30 Apr 08
I would be furious. You handled it very well, I think I would have lost it. He might not have anything to peep with when I was done with him. I cannot believe they told you they would fine you if you did not cut your weeds. Hopefully he will leave you alone, but I would be afraid to let the kids outside to play. It is so weird.
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
3 May 08
The only thing I would have done differently would have been to have bought some shrubbery that had sharp thorns. Rose bushes, pyracantha,barberry. He could not have made you cut down your landscaping shrubs, but he sure as the world would not have been able to walk through them. Actually, I have a big old house with windows low to the ground on the sides. I deliberately planted those shrubs under those windows, after seeing a former burglar on television recommend it. It just makes it too unpleasant to get up by the windows.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
30 Apr 08
I just remember as a child a peeping tom in the next yard over, and my grandmother too made us change in the bathroom and she had a heavy curtain on the window, but we lived on the second floor so we couldn't grow any weeds. But that was a very ingenious idea you had there.
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
30 Apr 08
What a sick perverted man! and how frightening to live near him. I would have kept calling the police everyday until they did something-
I think what you did was brilliant--- but still I would have done more-- Wouldn't want him to come into the house and harm a child. I can't believe the police talked to you about the "jungle" but not him about peeping-- what a world we live in!
@tyc415 (5706)
• United States
29 Apr 08
Yes, had a peeping tom before and that is so scary to see someone looking in at you. My oldest was a baby and my husband, baby and I had gone for the weekend to visit my mother. We got back, I had gotten ready for bed and was getting a bottle for her so she could go down and I looked at the kitchen window and saw him looking in, I called for my husband and told him and he took off chasing him. The police was called, this guy had peeped in other windows also. The police did find him, he had pulled his tee shirt off and discarded it but the cops found it and he was running and sweaty.
I don't know what I would have done in a situation like yours unless let it grow up like you did and maybe set up a few bear traps. hahaha
The term peeping tom? I am thinking maybe tom because of on the prowl like a tom cat and peeping? well because of what he/she does, peeps in people's windows.
1 person likes this
@micpie94 (356)
• United States
13 Jun 08
Wow! I loved your story. I know it was true and i shouldn't say this, but it was really entertaining. You should expand this and write a book. I would definitely read it. If u do, please tell me. P.S. i hope your foster kids are never peeped on again. GOD BLESS!!!
