Abusive father.

thedoc46

thedoc46

thedoc46

Soldato
Joined
18 Jan 2003
Posts
5,995
Location
Expat in the USA
So I was sitting eating my lunch at a supermarket restaurant, minding my own business, and this older man. Probably 50 with two young children 8-10 maybe. He was angry, like hate on his face... Looked pretty mean. What seemed like prison Tattoo's all up and down his arms... Almost certainly armed given his loose fitting attire (anti gov looking type) in khaki clothing. (I'm in the USA) Was saying horrible things to his kids, stuff like very demeaning with hate on his face.... Like you stupid little 'cant repeat on here', wait til we get home and see what's coming to you.... and it went on for a while...

Kids seemed to me that they were just being kids (I'm a father of kids the same age) and this was sort of normal behavior from their old man. But felt very sorry for them.. Annoyed that i didn't say anything and just ignored and made sure not to make eye contact... I'm pretty instinctive, and i'm fairly certain, had i of intervened it would have quickly escalated and even though i've had a bit of a checkered past myself in getting involved for a round of fisticuffs or two, i sorta knew in this instance not your business and best keep shut... Fella reminded me of Chopper Reid for some reason.

Honestly even though it was clearly none of my business, there was something evil about this man, and now i wish i'd at least follwed him out to the carpark & taken down his reg, and maybe reported it to social services or something... Given it was kids he was being abusive too.

What would have you guys done ?
 
I think you were right not to intervene. If he had the look that you describe then it might well of turned into a fight just from a simple comment. Social services is probably the best route to take imo, maybe they could identify him from CCTV?
 
I would have got the car reg and reported him. In fact I've done just that in the past. I hope someone else sees this and does report it.
 
You did the right thing not intervening, especially considering he could have been armed. Reporting him would definitely be the best thing to do, let's hope somebody else will as it's likely to happen again in public and who knows what goes on behind closed doors..
 
Malevolence said:
Minded my own business and let the fella speak to and raise his kids how he wants to, not how some interfering and judgemental nanny state type deems to be the correct way.
Click to expand...

I'm all for that too, except this guy had evil in his ways. Social services exist for this very reason.. Not everyone is a loving parent.. some people are pure scum.

I'm not a betting man, but i'd of bet my left arm he was carrying.. Just the clothing alone was a big giveway.. to conceal in a warm climate where I am, there's only a certain amount of clothing that lets you get away with hiding a chunk of metal.

He was clearly angry with life in general and already fired up... i don't think it would have taken much of a spark to send him off into a psychotic episode.

An undercover policeman /woman would have been best in this situation. Not an unarmed member of the public eating his hotdog !
 
Malevolence said:
Minded my own business and let the fella speak to and raise his kids how he wants to, not how some interfering and judgemental nanny state type deems to be the correct way.
Click to expand...

This.

"Prison tattoos", really? My sister has quite a few tattoos, is she an ex-con in your eyes too?
 
Malevolence said:
Minded my own business and let the fella speak to and raise his kids how he wants to, not how some interfering and judgemental nanny state type deems to be the correct way.
Click to expand...

even if as the OP says he was clearly being abusive? I'm all for staying out of peoples business, but if someone is being abusive even if only verbally to a child then there needs to be some sort of intervention
 
The OP is hugely judgemental and seems certain that the guy was up to no good so I'm genuinely baffled why he didn't take the reg and call someone as he pointed out he should have done. I'm not sure what else we can do other than say "yep, you should have done that instead of doing nothing".
 
Mags we all know an honourable and ethical decision is much easier from the safety of your computer chair hours after the event. He needed the time to find his integrity and character.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom